By Your Words
Matthew 12:33-37 (ESV)
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Reflection
One leadership principle which has always intrigued me is the Event Response Outcome equation, better known as E + R = O. The equation’s purpose incentivizes change of unwanted results by changing your response (R) to the event (E) until you get the outcome (O) you desire. Since the event is constant, we change our response to adjust outcomes. Though the equation looks simple, implementation can be difficult because it requires honest self-reflection of one’s response.
In today’s scripture, Jesus provides an equation of the heart, where the outcome is our words flowing from the abundance of our hearts. The events encompass the things we put into our hearts (social media, money, politics, idolatry, culture, etc.). The responses are the emotions accompanying our hearts (insecurity, grief, shame, discontentment, etc.).
I grew up in a home where profanity-laced talk was normal. Adding a vulgar word to your vocabulary helped get your point across. Through my youth and college years, this profanity conjoined with stereotypical locker-room banter. My career in construction sounded the same but demonstrated professionally how to use these words. My language wasn’t solely an influence from those around me. It was the byproduct of the things going into my heart, and the concealed emotions within it. The outcome wasn’t admirable.
Last Christmas, I spent time with a family friend I hadn’t seen in years. I later found out she mentioned to a family member that I had changed, and my language was no longer foul. I had the realization that she was right. I hadn’t made a purposed goal to change my language. So, what changed my words from a few short years ago?
I changed my response to the Gospel. After 20 years of professing to be a Christian, but living a worldly lifestyle, I made a purposed decision to truly submit to Christ’s design for an abundant life. God met me there. Over time, the lens through which I saw the world – my thoughts, actions, and beliefs – became more displeasing. And the holier God became. The outcome? Heart change. The foul language which once flowed with abundance became a scarcity. Though my language is now decent, this doesn’t make me righteous. Only Christ can provide that. It is, however, evidence that His spirit dwells within me, and is working in the ongoing deconstruction and sanctification of my heart.
Action Steps
Prayer
Lord in heaven, thank You for extending an enduring grace that allows me to change my response to what You offer. Search my heart, and deconstruct the things that are not pleasing to you. Lead me in storing Your truth in my heart, so only life speaks from my mouth. In Your Name I pray, amen.
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Reflection
One leadership principle which has always intrigued me is the Event Response Outcome equation, better known as E + R = O. The equation’s purpose incentivizes change of unwanted results by changing your response (R) to the event (E) until you get the outcome (O) you desire. Since the event is constant, we change our response to adjust outcomes. Though the equation looks simple, implementation can be difficult because it requires honest self-reflection of one’s response.
In today’s scripture, Jesus provides an equation of the heart, where the outcome is our words flowing from the abundance of our hearts. The events encompass the things we put into our hearts (social media, money, politics, idolatry, culture, etc.). The responses are the emotions accompanying our hearts (insecurity, grief, shame, discontentment, etc.).
I grew up in a home where profanity-laced talk was normal. Adding a vulgar word to your vocabulary helped get your point across. Through my youth and college years, this profanity conjoined with stereotypical locker-room banter. My career in construction sounded the same but demonstrated professionally how to use these words. My language wasn’t solely an influence from those around me. It was the byproduct of the things going into my heart, and the concealed emotions within it. The outcome wasn’t admirable.
Last Christmas, I spent time with a family friend I hadn’t seen in years. I later found out she mentioned to a family member that I had changed, and my language was no longer foul. I had the realization that she was right. I hadn’t made a purposed goal to change my language. So, what changed my words from a few short years ago?
I changed my response to the Gospel. After 20 years of professing to be a Christian, but living a worldly lifestyle, I made a purposed decision to truly submit to Christ’s design for an abundant life. God met me there. Over time, the lens through which I saw the world – my thoughts, actions, and beliefs – became more displeasing. And the holier God became. The outcome? Heart change. The foul language which once flowed with abundance became a scarcity. Though my language is now decent, this doesn’t make me righteous. Only Christ can provide that. It is, however, evidence that His spirit dwells within me, and is working in the ongoing deconstruction and sanctification of my heart.
Action Steps
- Take some quiet time to analyze your heart. Meditate on a recent conversation. Did your words or communication convey a heart that’s holy?
- Challenge yourself this week to have one conversation where you speak life into someone else.
Prayer
Lord in heaven, thank You for extending an enduring grace that allows me to change my response to what You offer. Search my heart, and deconstruct the things that are not pleasing to you. Lead me in storing Your truth in my heart, so only life speaks from my mouth. In Your Name I pray, amen.
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