How often have we heard someone cursing or refer to someone else in a derogatory term? How often have we done it ourselves?
The words we choose come from our heart. If we don't think it we don't say it. Even in those heated moments or moments of startled reaction where we "slip up" the fact is that we speak what is in our hearts.
Jesus made it quite clear that sin starts in the heart. The decision to commit a sin makes us just as guilty as physically committing the sin. In that light, even thinking of someone in a derogatory term is wrong. It is not enough to just remain silent. How we think about a person affects how we treat them.
Treating a person in an evil fashion is no worse than thinking of them in an evil fashion. This even applies when we are driving or otherwise “alone”.
Our words have great effect on those around us. We can see this easily in children, but the same is true in all of us. Some adults just learn to hide their reactions better than others. This is why we are told to control our speech and keep it as plain as we can. We will give account for every word we speak when we face Jesus.
All that being said we are also told that no man can tame the tongue. What comes from our mouths is what is in our hearts. We have to ask ourselves: Who controls our hearts?
Philippians 2:1-4 James 1:26 James 3:1-12
1 Peter 3:8-10 Matthew 12:33-37 Luke 6:45 Matthew 5:21-30, 37
The words we choose come from our heart. If we don't think it we don't say it. Even in those heated moments or moments of startled reaction where we "slip up" the fact is that we speak what is in our hearts.
Jesus made it quite clear that sin starts in the heart. The decision to commit a sin makes us just as guilty as physically committing the sin. In that light, even thinking of someone in a derogatory term is wrong. It is not enough to just remain silent. How we think about a person affects how we treat them.
Treating a person in an evil fashion is no worse than thinking of them in an evil fashion. This even applies when we are driving or otherwise “alone”.
Our words have great effect on those around us. We can see this easily in children, but the same is true in all of us. Some adults just learn to hide their reactions better than others. This is why we are told to control our speech and keep it as plain as we can. We will give account for every word we speak when we face Jesus.
All that being said we are also told that no man can tame the tongue. What comes from our mouths is what is in our hearts. We have to ask ourselves: Who controls our hearts?
Philippians 2:1-4 James 1:26 James 3:1-12
1 Peter 3:8-10 Matthew 12:33-37 Luke 6:45 Matthew 5:21-30, 37
