Oh That Again

Jesus taught us, saying: ‘Make a tree sound and its fruit will be sound; make a tree rotten and its fruit will be rotten. For the tree can be told by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can your speech be good when you are evil? For words flow out of what fills the heart. Good people draw good things from their store of goodness; and bad people draw bad things from their store of badness. So I tell you this, that for every unfounded word people utter they will answer on Judgment Day, since it is by your words you will be justified, and by your words condemned.’  Matthew  12:33-38

Um, no mincing here.  Every unfounded word.  

I suppose on one hand we could just be overwhelmed by memories of awful things that we have said and give it up.  But of course, there is the gift of forgiveness and the grace of a whiter than snow start again.  For this very sin He died.  And this brings in our own call to forgive others who have spoken against us.  

However.  This is obviously a serious issue.  We all know, according to James, the tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell, that there are two paths of wisdom.  At least. 

One is to talk a lot less.  I am ever so capable of hyperbole and crashing and burning through situations.  Certainly my approach of talking myself through problems versus pausing, reflecting, and weighing first has caused much pain and miscommunication.

The second is probably the heart of the issue.  It is the heart of the issue.  That my heart needs to be set.  Not just an early morning adjustment of the Word and a quick prayer, but a step-by-step practicing the presence of God.  Oh, to have a store of goodness with which to draw.  To offer grace and mercy and encouragement and wisdom from a deep well.  Ah, the reminder from Brother Lawrence: "There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it."   

A good reminder.  http://www.practicegodspresence.com

Until then, I can return to another reminder that I had permanently posted on the bulletin board at the Ranch in Mexico: In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.

It’s a start.