Heart Words

Go ahead, if you so choose, and spend your hard-earned money on the professionals but if you really want to be thoroughly examined and evaluated, let your grandchildren do it! Most recently, it was about the words we use - actually, it was a great heart-check. "Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things." (Proverbs 8:6). How revealing are our words! Quite foolishly we presume words originate most closely to the lips from which they take flight - uh, no. James asks, "does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water ... can a fig tree produce olives or a vine produce figs ... can salt water produce fresh?" (James 3:11-12). I suggest the heart of our words are the words of our heart. Perhaps as adults we spend too much time instructing the young how to speak when it is more prudent we teach our own hearts according to righteousness. Jesus said, "what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart." (Matthew 15:18). Let's not forget: words matter - they produce evidence of the inner man. Thank You, Father, for children who keep us on my toes by stepping on my toes! Help me ... consider my heart words.