my speech betrays my heart

Matthew 12:33-37

This continues Jesus' rant against the Pharisees. He is not content just to defend himself against their illogical argument but now goes on the offensive. The key words are: good, bad, evil and the concept of words or speech. Jesus uses a word picture of trees: good fruit indicates that a tree is good, bad fruit means that a tree is bad. He uses this to illustrate the truth that the results of a person's life indicates a person's character. Jesus specifically points to the words we use: if a person's words are bitter, evil and empty it indicates that a person's character is bitter and evil. The main point Jesus makes is: you can tell a person's character by the words that person speaks.
This reminds me of what Jesus teaches in his sermon on the mountain: the outward act of sin is a result of the sinful heart. Therefore, the outward sin of adultery is a result of the sin of lust, the outward sin of murder is the result of the sin of hatred, etc. The problem is that as much as I knew I was guilty of lust and even hatred at times, I was never really confronted by my sinfulness because I have never technically committed adultery or murder. I could pretend, because I had never committed the outward actions, that my heart was good. However, in this passage, my speech betrays my sinful heart. I don't have to think very hard to remember things I wish I had never said. I know that when the record of my speech is read out in the court of my King that I will only be able to hang my head in shame. My speech indicates that I still have a long way to go in the process of sanctification. My speech makes it clear that I am still in the beginning stages of being made restored. My prayer is that the Spirit would continue to restore my character and that my speech would become more and more gracious, pleasant and sweet.