(Warren E. Berkley)

Matthew 12:36-37 - "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."

Jesus believed that speech is important. I wouldn't think anybody would dispute that. We use our tongues on a daily basis, and when we hear of someone who is mute or impaired in their speech through some physical, medical or emotional condition, we are sorry and perhaps entertain the fear of suffering such a loss. The argument is made by James that the tongue is a small part of the human body, but has great potential for either good or evil.

"My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!"

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."

"Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring can yield both salt water and fresh."

Our speech reveals who we are. How do we get to know someone? We probably don't study their picture or stare at them. We talk to them and listen to them. Communication is the primary way we get to know one another and form bonds of fraternity and friendship. Our speech reveals who we are.

In Matthew 26:73, some of those who were standing by at the arrest of Jesus noticed that one of his disciples was there, Simon Peter. How did they know that? "For the way you talk gives you away!" Earlier, in Matthew 12:34, the Lord said that "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." People learn about us by listening to what we say, and how we say it. We become acquainted with people through the same medium.

Just think of all that can be done through speech. In speech there is the power to instruct, motivate, comfort, control and hurt. No wonder Jesus said: "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 12:36)

Jesus emphasizes one simple truth here: We will give account for our speech. I hope we all realize, anything that can condemn us on the Judgment Day is important right now. You will not be condemned on that day because you made less money than another. You will not be consigned to punishment because you were not as pretty or handsome as another, or not as athletic. You will not be condemned by Him because you didn't attain a certain social status, you were not popular, talented, educated enough or didn't belong to the right political party. But every idle word you will give account for. This is something so important, Jesus tells us it can condemn us on the Judgment Day.

We must prepare now for the accounting that will occur then. "For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (2 Corinthians 5:10) Notice: "Each one ... for the things done while in the body .. whether good or bad!" Jesus said, "every idle word."

Are you ready for this final accounting of your speech? "And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books." (Revelation 20:12) John says, in verse 15 of this chapter, that if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. What are we doing now to get ready for all of this then?

I found this recently that may help us examine ourselves: "I am more deadly than the screaming shell of the cannon. I win without killing. I tear down homes, break hearts, wreck lives. I travel on the wings of the wind. No innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me. I have no regard for truth, no respect for justice, no mercy for the defenseless. My victims are as numerous as the sands of the sea and often as innocent. I never forget and seldom forgive. My name is Gossip."

(Selected)

One day, a man went to visit a church. He arrived early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up near him, and the driver told him, "I always park there. You took my place!"

The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat, and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the church sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit. You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still said nothing.

Later, as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" The visitor replied, "I took your place."

(Author Unknown)

"Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called Today,' lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:12-13)

I was driving down a bumpy country road when I saw a bag of cement beside the road. It appeared to have fallen off a delivery truck as it hit one of the bumps in the rough road. Being a person who does not like to see anything wasted, I stopped to pick up the lost bag of cement. When I reached down to pick up this heavy bag, to my surprise, I discovered it was not soft and limber as I had expected, but had solidified into an immovable piece of cement.

Often our lives are like that bag of cement. They take on shapes that were not intended and become hardened in that shape. That bag of cement was meant to become a part of some beautiful structure but, because it did not reach its place of service, it became a useless rock in the form of a bag of cement.

Let us be meticulously careful not to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.