Ryan MacLeod, St Luke’s Member
Matthew 12:33-37

“33 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.  34 You brood of vipers!  How can you speak good things, when you are evil?  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  35 The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure.  36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word you utter; 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 

Reflection:
“Out of abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Who are we at our very core, our heart?  Will we produce good or bad fruit? We long to use the right words. We strive to take the correct actions. This passage suggests that through our words and actions, we will either be justified or condemned. 

Words are incredibly powerful: think of that first “I love you” spoken to your partner and how incredible your heart felt at that moment in time. Words allow us to communicate. Words tell our stories. Words reveal our character to others. Words have the awesome power to unite us.  Yet, words alone can uncover an evil heart. Because of the undeniable power of our words, we must choose our words carefully because they demonstrate what is in our hearts.  

As a lawyer, I often struggle for lingering periods of time attempting to find the “perfect” words.  I constantly stress about how my words and actions will be perceived by jurors.  What will they reveal about the content of my heart?  And my days are often shaped by judges declaring that an order is either granted or denied.  Those words, carrying out the acts of granting or denying relief, have meanings that can alter the course of peoples’ lives forever.  Those words had a source just as the words we use in our daily lives have a source- someone’s heart.  We will be judged on the words we choose because they originate within us and belong to us—we must choose whether they produce good fruit or bad fruit.

In Matthew, Jesus plainly states to the religious leaders that the content of their hearts will be revealed by their words and actions. Good fruit or bad fruit will be present. According to this passage, the evil in our hearts has some serious implications.  We know that Jesus has placed in us a heart that is good and a heart that yields the good fruit of words that show our love for others, and we can choose to live from that place each day. 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, words matter. Help me to choose my words wisely. Remind me that my good words can reveal your love which heals and forgives. Fill my heart today so that I may reveal your goodness and treasures in all that I do. Loving you with all my heart.  Amen.