It always bothers me when people swear. It especially bothers me when Christians swear. Because what we say shows what’s in our hearts. Our words show the state of our hearts.
When Jesus heard the Pharisees saying he was demon possessed, he told them,
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:33-37)
In other words, for such blasphemy to come out of their mouths, their hearts had to be utterly corrupt.
That’s why he says we’ll be judged for every word we speak, even the “careless” ones. Our words show exactly what’s in our hearts.
If our heart is full of good fruit, such words can’t help but flow out of our mouths. But if our heart is full of rot, such words will certainly flow out of our mouths as well.
It’s impossible for us to say, “Oops. How did that come out?”
It came out because that’s what’s in our hearts. And if that’s what’s in our hearts, we need to repent.
If vitriol is in our hearts, it will show in our speech. If bitterness is in our hearts, that’s what will come out. If perversion is in our hearts, that’s what will flow out from our mouths.
Are these things in your heart? What’s coming out of your mouth?
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 