August 10 – Trustworthy Mouths (Matthew 12:36)

“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”(Proverbs 10:19)

IN WORD:
The human tongue is hard to tame. James likens it to a wildfire and calls it a world of evil (James 3:6). That’s not a very complimentary assessment, but it’s reality. The more we talk, the more we expose the thoughts within us. Sooner or later, the sinful ones will come out.
Jesus said we would be accountable for that. Every careless word will need to be justified before God. That’s a frightening thought, especially for those who talk a lot. Slanders, untruths, gossip, faithless thoughts, and any other corruption that proceeds from our mouth will need an accounting. It’s terrifying to think that something we give so little thought will carry so much weight. But all things carry weight with God — especially things as powerful as words.
God frequently encourages us to measure our maturity by our ability to restrain our tongues. He who can hold it is wise, the proverb says. God assures us that the spoken word is far more potent than we think. Words can cripple emotions, ruin reputations, incite wars, spark jealousies, and create bitter rivalries. Discretion is the better part of conversation.

IN DEED:
That won’t be true in heaven. We can speak freely there, because sin will not gush from our hearts. We will utter praises in worship of our God, and all we say to others will be edifying. That’s the nature of a heaven from which all sin has been cast out. But that’s not the nature of this world. Here, professionals are paid to gossip while millions tune in, debaters are required to argue, and talk shows encourage comments so offensive that they result in riotous violence. Sin gushes, and the mouth is usually where it comes out.
But followers of Jesus are a separate people. We have been called to a discipline of discretion. Our silence is often more golden than we think. The well-being of others is often in our hands. God risked a lot by giving us mouths with which to praise Him and fellowship with others. We are called to be utterly trustworthy with them.

“Converse as those would who know that God hears.”
-Tertullian-