June 8 – The Source of Conversation (Proverbs 16:24)

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
(Colossians 4:6)

IN WORD:
If words are as powerful as a raging fire, able to both warm the heart well and to burn it to a crisp, it might be important to consider their source. Words are not random utterances from absent minds; they are the fruit of the soul. They indicate what’s growing within us, whether the Spirit of God or the spirit of corruption. They are a true measure of the spiritual life. They tell us what’s inside.
Jesus said all the evils of sin “come from inside and make a man unclean” (Mark 7:23). His assessment of human corruption is startling, but experience and wisdom bear Him out. The human heart comes up with all sorts of mischief, and though we often keep it secret, it inevitably flavors our speech. We cannot disguise the condition of a sinful soul. Corrupt words are the fruit of that rotting tree.
But when we have been raised to life by the Spirit of God, our words become the fruit of a living, thriving tree planted by streams of water. Our conversation can be full of grace because WE are full of grace. We can speak with the flavor of salt because WE have been seasoned with salt. We can bear eternal fruit because we ARE eternal fruit. The Word of Life fills a faithful heart with words of life. He makes fertile what was once barren.

IN DEED:
Analyze your speech. Are you frequently making negative comments? Do you seethe with anger and bitterness? Do you spread discouragement and criticism when you open your mouth? If so, it’s a reflection of what’s inside. It indicates a lack of fellowship with the Spirit of life and hope and grace.
Do not make the mistake of thinking your speech and your spiritual condition are distinct. One reflects the other. If the reflection is negative, don’t just clean up your mouth. Bask in the fellowship of the Spirit. God doesn’t want to change your tongue, He wants to change your heart. When He does, your words become His.

“Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee.”
-Frances Ridley Havergal-