The Jury Is Still Out
By Overseer Christopher J. Harris
Americans have an infatuation with police shows, crime antics, and mysteries. On an average night in America, the television line-up of shows reveals dozens of episodes that involve police, crime stories, unsolved mysteries, and the like. It is really easy to get caught into the story line as it unfolds, only to be left without a clear answer at the end of the show. The writers, producers, and actors invite you to come back and watch the show next week. Many of these shows that involve courtrooms, judges, and juries, generally end up with a clear choice of guilt or innocence by the jury. But then there are those rare occasions where the jury deliberates for extended periods of time, leaving everyone simply waiting to see the end result of the case.
Similarly, our spiritual lives have a case that is pending and the jury is still out. The crimes that we’ve been charged with are misdemeanor excessive talking, aggravated gossip, felony lying, and other mitigating charges involving our mouths. The jury is still unclear of how to really deliberate on these charges because they are more subtle than any white collar crime, more destructive than any Ponzi scheme, and more hazardous than any chemical agent ever created. Our mouths determine the course of our lives, impact the thoughts and ideas of others, and destroy the hopes and dreams of millions. It literally shapes even your concept of God’s work in your life.
It is so powerful that Jesus says in Matthew 12: 36, “And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”(ERV) Some translations use the words careless, empty, and thoughtless. In either case, we are challenged to identify our casual approach to the words that come out of our mouths. Specifically since Jesus emphatically shares the priority that God places on them. Consider the heaviness of this reality – as our lives on earth are coming to a close and the reality of our salvation is before us, the consideration of our work on earth is before us, and the extent of our sincere love is before us. But right in that same discussion with God is the idea of how we have used our mouths. Can you see the magnitude of it all? It seems that this would not be on the same level as our salvation, but it is. Without a doubt, the word, ‘every’, kind of hangs out there as an extra emphasis to this truth.
With an understanding of this scripture and the weight of our words, how should we proceed (with caution) with regards to our mouths and the words that we speak?
1. Remain vigilant to consider your communication.
The moment that we let our guard down about our words is the moment that we begin to offer off-handed remarks and sly sarcasm that destroys confidence, trust, and rapport. Keep your mind alert to intentional communication.
2. Have the right spirit in your communication.
The scripture often reflects that our words are only mirrors of our hearts (Luke 6:45), which means that wrong words are only a boomerang of a wrong spirit. As we allow God to do maintenance and development of our hearts, we’ll automatically produce the right words.
3. Have the right agenda with you speak. (think before you speak)
It is wise to consider the goal and end result of what we’re hoping to accomplish by speaking in any given situation. Without a clear agenda for our words, they will fly all over, without any clear direction, and without any understandable result. Therein lies a greater possibility of mindless chatter, pointless arguments, and destructive talk. (Proverbs 10: 19)
4. Become comfortable with suitable silence.
There are great opportunities that God regularly presents us with the chance to simply remain silence. There’s a lot to observe, learn, and grow when we have opportunities not to engage in talk, but rather engage in listening, observation, and discernment. (Proverbs 17: 28)
5. Pray about your words & speech.
Your words are life and will bring life. As Proverbs 13: 3 shares, your words can ‘preserve’ your life. If it’s important enough to be judged on, it is important to pray on. Covering your word selection and word quantity in prayer will give God the opportunity to show you how He sees it and provide fresh insight on the best approach to your words.
In many of these unsolved mysteries, we are left with only clues and assumptions. Submitting our mouths to God’s Word and the Holy Spirit’s leading with our words will give us the opportunity know the end of the case before the closing arguments. God will be able to declare, “Well done! You’ve been faithful over the mouth that I’ve given you. You haven’t torn down others or belittled my children or distributed untruths about your brothers or sisters, nor have you allowed satan to work in your job or relationships because of loose lips. Well done, thou faithful servant.” When we set a guard on our mouths (James 1: 19), God himself will close the open case and declare us, “Not guilty. Case dismissed.”
Scripture of the Day: "Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” - Matthew 12:38
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