The Mouth

More wars, destruction, and hurt have been brought about by words that come from the mouth, than any other mechanism

Source: New Life Narrabri

The mouth - what a wonderful and important thing it can be. It allows you to enjoy some of the blessings of Our Lord. Some of the most joyful times are experienced when we use our mouths to eat. The mouth can also be a vital tool used to express and communicate through verbalization and while it can be a pleasant thing it can also be a vicious tool or a weapon that can be used for pure destruction. More wars, destruction, and hurt have been brought about by words that come from the mouth, than any other mechanism. However even though words can be a tool of destruction, they can also be a thing of beauty. What better mechanism for communication do we have than words coming from the mouth? Also, what feels better than a kind word that comes from the mouth?

Source:www.primobibleverses.com

The Bible has hundreds of references to the mouth in both the New and the Old Testament and records a lot of cases where the mouth was a tool or a weapon. The Bible also records many cases where the mouth gave words of comfort and joy and reassurances. In the New Testament, Jesus gave a statement about words used in the wrong way; Matthew 15:10-20 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them’. Then the disciples came to him and asked, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?’ He replied, Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit’. Peter said, ‘Explain the parable to us’. ‘Are you still so dull?’ Jesus asked them. ‘Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them’. The mouth in this scripture, is referred to as a weapon because of the words that come out of it. The rest of those verses, verses 10-20, go on to clarify what Jesus is referring to.

Words, we all use them. Jesus said to be careful that your words are cleansing and be sure your words are clean, not unclean. The essence, character, and soul of a man is not so much about what a man puts into his body from the outside in, but rather the essence, character and soul of a man is reflected by what comes from the inside out through his words, deeds, and actions. It is worth thinking about the things we allow to come from our mouths to ensure that we do not, as Jesus puts it, ‘defile ourselves’.

Author: David Leatherman

May God bless and enrich your life

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