Summer Cleaning

Quiet Time by Bryan Baylon and Peter Heins
5/16/09

Matthew 12:33-37
(12:33) "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. (12:34) Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. (12:35) A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. (12:36) I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. (12:37) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." HCSB

This passage makes us want to be "slow to speak and quick to listen," as the book of James states-being above reproach in the thinga we say.

It doesn't say not to speak or be shy to speak, rather it even encourages you to speak in that your words acquit you.

How well or strong you are spiritually shows by the very words you are speaking.
If you speak bitter, negative words about others you show what is in your heart.
There are two storerooms within: one good and one evil
What kinds of things are you storing up inside? What are you taking in through your eyes and ears?

What comes out of your mouth shows what's within you.

The Pharisees, "brood of vipers," were also the ones who cleaned the outside of the cup but not the inside (Matthew 23:25-26) and were like whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23:27-28), and both relate with what he says here.

Matthew 15:11 "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."