Where'd That Come From?

“That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. Mark 7:20-22 NASB

Have you ever been around someone that said something that was totally out of character? This person may be someone that you look up to or admire, that suddenly says something derogatory against someone, or maybe says a dirty joke that shocks you. Where did those words come from? Jesus tells us where words come from in Matthew 12. 
“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, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. 35“The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. 36“But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. 37“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37 NASB
Jesus says that words we speak represent fruit. Fruit is important because it tells us what's happening in the heart or at the root. If you see an apple hanging on a tree, you automatically assume it's an apple tree. Similarly, if you hear slander, gossip, pride, envy, or anger coming from someone's lips, you automatically assume that there is a root of a slandering, gossiping, prideful, envying, angry tree. This is not a condemning or judging thing that we all make this assumption. Jesus tells us that we know who false teachers and others are by the fruit of their life (Matthew 7:15-20).
I have counseled and prayed with many people over the years of ministry, and the one thing that you always pay close attention to is the words that people say. By doing this you can catch on and have discernment into certain roots that are in that person's life that they may need deliverance from, or counsel on. The gospel does not change fruits, it changes roots. Jesus, in Mark 7:20-22 is addressing root problems, not fruit problems. Because once roots are fixed, the fruit will naturally flow. 
But understanding the "big picture" helps us in our daily lives. Why did the Creator give each of us a mouth and a tongue to speak in the first place? Scripture gives us an answer to that question. In Psalm 16, verses 8 & 9, David says: “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely.” 
Notice the words "my glory rejoices" that David uses there. On the day of Pentecost, Peter quotes the same verses from Psalm 16 when giving his first message to the crowds that were gathered. Peter interprets these verses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit where he says: “For David says of Him, I was always beholding the Lord in my presence; for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exalted; moreover my flesh also will abide in hope.”  Acts 2:25-26 NASB
Peter changes the words from "my glory rejoices" to "my tongue exalted". What does that tell us? It tells us that our tongues are our glory. Why is our tongue our glory? Because it the primary instrument that we use to interact with the world, and with God. the tongue is small, but it boasts of great things (James 3:5). But the supreme and primary purpose for God giving us out tongues is to glorify our Creator. It is the one member of our body, above all else, that we have been given to glorify God. Any other purpose that we are using our tongues for outside of glorifying God is a misuse of why we have been given it in the first place.
Once we acknowledge, and surrender to the fact that our tongues have been given to us to glorify God, we will be able to then learn how to control it under the power of the Holy Spirit. We will begin to bless, instead of curse. We will begin to set fires of the power of the Spirit instead of fires of dissention. Jesus says we will give an account for every word spoken; let that day be a day of rejoicing instead of regret. 

Questions to Consider:

1. Do you struggle with controlling your tongue? Do you feel like you have no control over what comes out of your mouth sometimes? This issue does not lie in our tongue but in our heart. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal areas of your heart that need to be purified. 

2. Read James 1:26-27 and James 3:1-12 and ask the Lord to help you in controlling your tongue. The Holy Spirit is the only One capable of helping us "bridle our tongues".