Watch Your Words

Proverbs 10:31

This verse brought a very visual reminder to me. We had a beautiful, over 100 year old, maple tree on our acreage. I used to say..Lord, if we ever have a tornado..take my house, not my tree.(I love trees) We had a tire swing on one of the larger branches, and all my children and grandchildren had swung on it. One day while my son and I were standing and swinging hard on the swing, I looked up and said, "oh, if this branch ever broke, we would be smashed for sure! Well, later that night we had a terribly windy storm. The next morning that very large branch was laying on the ground! What we hadn't known was that the tree had what is called "heart rot". It was hollow through the center of the trunk and many of the larger branches. God had protected us!

Proverbs 10:31 (Amplified Bible) says...The mouths of the righteous (those harmonious with God) bring forth skillful and godly Wisdom, but the perverse tongue shall be cut down [like a barren and rotten tree].

We had to cut down that tree. It was too dangerous to keep. It made me sad to think that something that beautiful could be that rotten on the inside. We have been using the wood from it all winter. (The only blessing from it.)

Matt.12:35-37 (AMP) says...The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. But I tell you, on the day of judgment men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. For by your words you will be justified
and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.

Matt.3:8,10 Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart]; And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Malachi 4:1 FOR BEHOLD, the day comes that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud and arrogant, yes, and all that do wickedly and are lawless, shall be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

Oh Father, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight...I don't want to appear good on the outside but my heart be rotten on the inside..put a guard on my lips..and a watch on the door of my mouth.