A New Devotion - “What Comes Out of the Mouth”

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Matthew 15:10-20

Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." Then the disciples approached and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?" He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit." But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us." Then he said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile."

“What Comes Out of the Mouth”

For years, I’ve been critical of Christians putting too much importance on words as a way to measure faith. You see, I’ve thought that many very sincere believers assume that what a person says accurately reflects what that person actually believes. For example, if one can shove a lot of religious sounding words into a sentence, it must show what’s in one’s heart. Now, for years, this kind of thing has bothered me, because I believe it’s led to two situations that has damaged the proclamation of the good news. I mean, first, it’s resulted in Christianity being defined by words said and promises made rather than actions taken and works done. And second, I think it’s led a lot of very dedicated folks being deceived by fast talkers. And as a result, they end up following after false teachers, completely forgetting that Jesus said that not everyone who calls him Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven and that a tree is judged by it’s fruits. And so, for those reasons, I’ve tended to be skeptical of what I’ve called the “pious pablum” that comes from the mouths of too many religious leaders.

But having said that, although I’m not sure the words we use automatically attest to spirituality and righteousness, I think they can point to a less than sterling character. And I think that’s the point Jesus was making when he said, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.” You see, although a good salesman can fake sincerity and concern, a person who uses language that’s full of arrogance, violence and hatred is probably offering a petty clear window into his heart and mind and soul. And for the reason, I believe Christians should be really careful not to ignore or excuse vile and demeaning words, because, again as Jesus said, “...it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.”