The Heart to Mouth Connection

Tuesday, September 1

James 3:7-8  (NKJV)

“For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Devoción

James 3:8 says that the tongue is an unstable, restless, unrestrainable evil, and that no man can tame it. This is quite a dilemma for us, because, as we can see, the tongue is very powerful. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the ‘power’ of the tongue.” The word ‘power’ in this verse means ‘authority,’ ‘direction.’ In other words, the outcome of our lives, and the lives we speak into, are influenced by the authority and direction that the tongue speaks. This verse continues, “And those who love it will eat the fruit thereof,” meaning, those who understand its power will speak their words wisely, benefiting from the fruit of their words spoken.

But is making a constant, conscious selection of what we say enough, or can we actually train our mouths to speak good things, so that it flows naturally? We learned that the tongue cannot be tamed by mankind. However ... the Word of God can direct the tongue when the heart is full of His Word. Luke 6:45 (NLT) tells us, “The good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

Here is the key: The heart is connected to the mouth. If we fill our heart with good things, the mouth will automatically follow suit. We have the incredible opportunity to produce the fruit of love in our life and those around us. When we sow these words, instead of the habitual rhetoric of criticism or fear, we’ll see how quickly our environment and the hearts of those we are speaking into change.

We are exhorted in Proverbs 4:20-23 (BSB) “My son, pay attention to my words, incline your ear to my sayings. Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body. Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.”

May our heart’s desire be the prayer the psalmist prayed in Ps 19:14 (BSB): “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer.”

Oración de hoy

Querido Padre Celestial,

Thank You that You have not withheld Your wisdom from us. And thank You for all those who have paid such a high price to get Your Word into our hands. I ask for Your grace to be faithful in meeting with You every day to understand Your thoughts and Your ways. Lead me by Your Holy Spirit and open my eyes and ears that I may know You. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Aplíquelo hoy mismo

Since we know that a heart full of His Word will naturally speak life, start today by making a daily appointment with the Holy Spirit to learn from Him. He will open the Word of God to your heart. Be a faithful disciple who will take what you learn and share it with those who may cross your path.

Recursos

• What fills the heart eventually finds its way to the mouth. Watch “Your Thoughts Matter” and discover why guarding your thoughts is essential to guarding your heart.

• Word Study: “Heart” — kardia (Greek). In Scripture, the heart encompasses the inner person—thoughts, desires, intentions, and affections. This helps explain why Jesus says our speech flows from what is stored within.