Be Careful! What You Say Will Be Used Against You

     Be careful because what you say will be used against you.  Generally these are the words heard by persons who are being placed under arrest by law enforcement officers.  These words evoke feelings of fear, concern, worry, and panic.  These are not comforting words to the hearer, but true words nonetheless.  Very rarely do we associate these words with God and His church, however, it would serve us all well to know that God tells us the same thing in His written word.  While it may not be worded this same way, the meaning is the same.  These words are words of warning and caution.  They let you know that any word that you allow to escape out of your mouth can condemn you .  Did you know that your words have the power to condemn you?  All day long we speak; we use words all day everyday as a means to communicate and convey a message.  Some view the words that we speak as trivial, but it is quite the contrary.  Our words carry a lot of weight  and have the power to condemn, to build up, to tear down, to reward, to ensnare, and to create. 

     In Matthew 12:36-37 Jesus said, "I promise you that on the day of judgment, everyone will have to account for every careless word they have spoken.  On that day they will be told that they are either innocent or guilty because of the things they have said"  (CEV).  This scripture lets us know that we need to take our words seriously because there is coming a day when they will come back to haunt to us.  In order to trace the words that we speak back to the root we must look at our hearts.  In verse 34 Jesus tells us that it is "out of the abundance of our heart that our mouths speak."  So, the fruit of our words have their roots in our hearts.  If our hearts are wicked then our words will be wicked.  If our heart is good then our words will be good.  If our heart is bitter then our words will be bitter.  A foul and obscene heart will give birth to foul and obscene words.  The word, "idle," as used in verse 36 means useless and unprofitable.  How many times have you spoken words that were unprofitable?  Before you speak ask yourself what it will profit you to say those words.  Take a moment and pause before you speak.  James 1:19 tells us that we should be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry" (NIV).  Proceed with caution before you speak.

     When you say something to someone with whom you are arguing that is hurtful it is because your heart is vengeful and angry.  When we say hurtful words in the midst of an argument it is because we want to hurt the person that we are arguing with.  Those hurtful words are the fruit of our angry and vengeful heart in that moment.  In Matthew 18:15 Jesus said that it is the words that come forth from a man's mouth that defile the man because they proceed out of the man's heart.  It's not what you put in your mouth that defile or condemn you, but what you release from your mouth.  So, the next time that you start to speak, pause and remember that what you say will be brought back before you on the day of judgement.  Jesus' words in these scriptures lets us know in no uncertain terms that we will be held accountable for every word that we speak, good or bad.  Our words will either justify or condemn us.  Our words can and will be held against us in the day of judgment.

     Psalm 19:14 offers sobering words that we should hide in our hearts and worthy of being committed to our memory.  It states, "may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer" (NLT).  Make this your prayer today and everyday.