A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” -Matthew 12:35-37 (NKJV)
Have you ever found yourself daydreaming about what it would be like to stumble upon some valuable treasure? We sometimes hear stories about a person who was looking around in the attic of an old house he had purchased and discovering some extremely rare antique that proved to be worth a fortune. Whenever my family and I have gone to the beach on vacation we often see people with their metal detectors looking for valuables that have washed ashore and are buried in the sand. There is certainly treasure out there; we just have to know where to look for it.
Jesus said that we have a kind of treasure in our hearts, and this treasure can be good or bad, valuable or worthless. The sort of treasure we have in our hearts will determine what is flowing from us when we speak. Verse 34 of this chapter says that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” What is in our hearts will show itself when we speak. If we have good stored in our hearts, then what comes from us will be good. However, if we have evil stored in our hearts, then what flows from us will indeed be evil. A relationship with Christ can fill our hearts with treasure that can positively affect every aspect of our lives. When our hearts are filled with the love of Jesus, then we are more kind, compassionate, caring, considerate, and patient to the needs of those around us. Furthermore, we will be empowered to speak words of encouragement as well as proclaim the gospel.
What is in your heart today? Are you overcome with thoughts of anger, bitterness, rage, and hatred? Jesus Christ can change that; He is able to drive all those negative and destructive attitudes from us and replace them with joy, comfort, and peace. The Lord will then multiply these good attributes in ever increasing measure.
Jesus Christ can and will fill us with such goodness that when we speak it will be words that bring honor and praise to God. Such words have the power to touch lives and draw people toward Christ. Let Christ fill your heart today with His treasure.
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