The Heart Behind Your Words

2 Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard. (Psalm 19:2-3)

As a student ministry, we have been talking to the teens about the power behind their words. Life in school is rough. Bullies, insecurities, and brokenness abound within academic walls in ways older generations had not experienced. Teens get it. Where we often come in as leaders is in the response to these verbal daggers. The cycle of hurt keeps spinning in the name of retribution – you hurt me, I hurt you. As adults, I would like to believe we are beyond this, but we both know adults are essentially middle schoolers with a bank account.Even our most coy attempts at disguising our words are uncovered, leaving disaster in it’s wake. Your words find you out and will never remain hidden because they have nothing to do with your speech, but the condition of your heart.

for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45b)

Just as your words, given enough time, your heart always shows. Frustrated, unhappy, discontent? They all come out in your words when our soul is left unchecked. As followers of Christ, it is crucial we know the temperature of what lies within us. Unfairly or not, we are judged with greater fervor. Everyone is looking at your words as a way to discredit the claims of Christ. There is a great burden in the life of the believer, and this is the tax we pay for growth.

Recently I haven’t done well at this. My tone has been biting and sarcastic. Many times we believe sarcasm is part of life, but it never brings out anything good and the consequences can be insurmountable, especially working with teens. Sarcasm is insulated insecurity. My thoughts are coming to the surface as my heart betrays me. And so I make the trek back to the cross. Our sins serve as an alarm for what is unsettled in our lives. Sin is an identity crisis distracting us from the grace bought at Calvary.

Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. Thank you that nothing is wasted, even my darkest blemishes.