Careless Words
Many of us growing up often heard or sang the children’s song “O Be Careful”
O be careful little mouth what you say
O be careful little mouth what you say
There’s a Father up above
And He’s looking down in love
So, be careful little mouth what you say
You may thing it’s a cute way to remind kids to be nice to others, and without discounting that I’ll also focus on what Jesus says:
[bibleblock]Matthew 12:36-37[/bibleblock]
Does this mean all we have to is speak nicely and God will judge us as justified and righteous? No, quite the opposite in fact. Stepping back to verse 34 Jesus says, “… out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” This is addressing that the words that you speak are indicative of what you truly believe and hold in your heart, and if your heart is on God, then your words should be honoring, glorifying, and pointing to Him.
So, as long as we keep our mouths shut, we’ll be fine? While this is a good idea and a very wise idea (Proverbs 13:3), the words that come out are not the only thing to think on.
[bibleblock]Matthew 5:28[/bibleblock]
In this text Jesus is again reinforcing the idea that it is what’s truly in your heart that matters, not just how you looks to others. Notice the phrase with lustful intent. This is the Greek “pros to epithymēsai autēn”. Which is literally, “for the purpose of lusting for her”. Lust begins in the heart, the center of a person’s identity and will. It is not enough to maintain physical purity alone; one must also guard against engaging mentally in an act of unfaithfulness to your spouse or God. Jesus is not adding to Old Testament law but correctly interpreting it, for even in the Ten Commandments God had required purity of heart (Ex. 20:17; Sam. 16:7; Ps. 19:14; 24:4).
This does not just address mean things, and un-Godly things we say, but also the little excuses we make about why and what we do. I will bring out a personal example here for an easier illustration.
If you have read my article “Bad Bunny News” you will be aware of my research and stance on “Easter” and “Resurrection Day”. (1 Corinthians 10:20) I also believe it important for me to raise my children with the Scriptural tools and an understanding of the world and God so that as I “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) How do you think our friends and family will take it when I make sure they understand what we as a family believe, and how that will separate my children from the pagan traditions of the celebration. The usual arguments are:
- “You grew up fine with it.”
- “Why will you deprive them the fun of the day?”
- “It’s not a big deal, they don’t really know what it means.”
- “Just tell them what it means now, it doesn’t matter what it used to mean.”
- “You are being too legalistic.”
Well I can truly say that I love my family and friends. However, these arguments are all “careless words” to me. We are taught to ponder the ways of God and understand him. We are also to, as Jesus said, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
How about we make this very simple. Let’s see what God thinks about this modern form of idol worship:
[bibleblock]Exodus 20:4-6[/bibleblock]
[bibleblock]1 Corinthians 10:14[/bibleblock]
So easy, yet so hard. Most people break this many times a day. Every time something in your daily life becomes more important than God to you, is the moment it becomes an idol to you. I want to teach my children to understand God’s call on their life, and that isn’t to a happy conforming member of the world society. The goal to to have them and everyone else who calls themselves a follower of Christ, take up their cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24).
Based on that premise we should not worry about society’s desires to celebrate God through resurrected pagan rituals.
So what is overall goal of my meandering mind on this topic? That you would strive to monitor your careless words and thoughts in all things. Do you whine on Facebook about how you are having a bad day? Do you complain about a spouse or other person to someone else, maybe everyone you know on Twitter? Our innate human nature is bent on destruction of ourselves and others. We are sinners without a righteous bone in our body until God draws us to Him and covers us with His mercy and grace provided by the death of His Son Jesus Christ. There is nothing good in us except what comes from the Father above. Pray and rely on the Spirit and the Word before you open your mouth on anything. You should strive to make every thought and utterance of your tongue to encourage one another and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and do not let yourself be deceived by the word which is evil, but rely on Him who created the world and is perfect.
[bibleblock]1 Thessalonians 5:23-24[/bibleblock]
