Heart Content

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… for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew12:34b)

A cacophony of random, meaningless noise fills the world so that any sensitivity to God’s voice has become dull to the point that “they have ears to hear, and hear not” (Ezekiel12:2).  If we take the time to evaluate the content of the verbal communication that we take in daily, how much of that has any real significance?  Much of what is heard through the public media over the airwaves is at best of little value, and at worst is detrimental in a number of ways.  Daily conversations at home, work or school can be equally fruitless or inimical. 

Jesus said that it is “out of the abundance of the heart [that] the mouth speaks.”  So, what does that say about the heart content of the transmitters of most of our aural input?  Closer to home, what does that say about the content of our heart, if we are the generators of such prattle?  “[T]he mouth of fools poureth out foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2).  The computer axiom of “garbage in equals garbage out” applies equally well in the human realm.  Jesus explains: “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matthew 12:35).

There are some practical things we can do to avoid being contributors to foolish conversation.  “The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness” (Proverbs15:14).  We need to fill our heart with the Word of God and not feed on the foolishness of the world.  “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6).  Remember that “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28).  Remember too “That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36).