ODB: it’s all about the heart

Eat, Our Daily Bread | August 19, 2009 12:53 am

aug-191

August 19, 2009 


Every time you speak, your mind is on parade.

 

READ: Matthew 15:7-20 

Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart. —Matthew 15:18 

Every time Susan opens her mouth, it sounds like the blare of an ambulance siren. This TV commercial uses humor to indicate that a dental problem could reveal a more serious physical ailment. So she’d better see her dentist soon!

The commercial made me think about what comes out of my mouth when I open it. Jesus said that our words come from our heart (Matt. 15:18). He offended the Pharisees when He said, “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (vv.11-12). They thought they were right with God because they followed strict rules, including ritual cleansing of their hands before eating and eating only “clean” foods. Jesus upset their pride.

Jesus upsets our pride too. We may think we’re godly people because we go to church regularly or pray, but then we gossip or talk about people behind their backs. James 3:9-10 says, “With [our tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men . . . . Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. . . . These things ought not to be so.”

If a siren blares from our mouth when we open it, we need to examine our heart and ask the Lord to forgive us and to help us be a blessing to others.  — Anne Cetas

Source: Our Daily Bread

Tags:

Leave a Comment

Related

ODB: in praise of slowness
3

ODB: in praise of slowness

February 8, 2010 READ: 2 Peter 3:1-9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness. —2 Peter 3:9 If there were a contest for most popular virtue, I suspect that “fast” would beat “best.” Many parts of the world seem to be obsessed with speed. The “fast” craze, however, is getting [...]

Published on February 8, 2010 12:49 am
ODB: Tone Check
2

ODB: Tone Check

October 1, 2011 READ: Colossians 4:2-6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. —Colossians 4:6 Driving home from work, I heard a radio advertisement that got my attention. It was for a computer program that checks e-mails as they are written. [...]

Published on October 1, 2011 12:03 am
ODB: Talk Low, Talk Slow
4

ODB: Talk Low, Talk Slow

March 29, 2011 READ: Judges 7:24–8:3 A soft answer turns away wrath. —Proverbs 15:1 John Wayne, famous American actor and film icon, once said, “Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.” His advice is hard for me to follow since I’m a fast talker and I don’t always speak quietly or limit my [...]

Published on March 29, 2011 12:03 am
a lot to remember
1

a lot to remember

January 5, 2009 READ: Proverbs 10:11-21 He who restrains his lips is wise. —Proverbs 10:19 Thanks a lot,” the man behind the postal counter said to the person in front of me. The clerk, Jon, had seen me in line and was hoping I would overhear him. When it was my turn, I said hello [...]

Published on January 5, 2009 12:32 am