I don’t think there is a verse in the Bible that can scare me more than Matthew 12:36~

And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.

I am a talker.

I am an extroverted Chatty – Cathy.

The more nervous I get the MORE I can talk to fill up that potentially empty, awkward space!

I am well supplied with the gift of the gab.

I am the queen of small-talk.

There have been more times than I care to remember that I have walked away from a conversation wondering

should I have said that??

did I say too much??

was that comment or story necessary?

I have been told to “take a rest” from the talking, don’t be so distracting with the talking, don’t talk so much.

I have been criticized for talking for too long….too loud…too often.

The doubts that can plague me after a deep conversation with a person are endless.

The condemnation I fall under after sharing a thought from the Lord is incredibly heavy…I easily feel as if I sound like a “know-it-all” in those moments when I walk away.

Thus, this Scripture is terrifying for a gal like me.

As it should be.

The book of James talks about the power of the tongue – the spoken word.

He describes the use of the tongue as a bridle in a horses mouth in James 3:3~

It guides the WHOLE horse.

He describes it as ship’s rudder in James 3:4~

they are driven by the wind in their sails but directed by a very small rudder.

He describes it as having the power of a fire in James 3:6~

it contaminates the entire body and sets on fire the course of our lives.

But no one can tame the human tongue, it is a restless, undisciplined, unstable evil filled with poison…Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things should not be this way for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and a profound respect for His law (James 3:8-10).

Talk about a big stinking deal – all this talking!!

Here’s the issue~ I firmly believe that I have been created to speak up. I believe that I have been called to proclaim the Good News of Christ. I believe that I am NOT to stay silent.

With that confidence comes great responsibility! And, I suppose, it is also with no surprise that I would be met with an opposition trying to keep me quiet in the form of my own negative thoughts/insecurities/doubts or from the enemy who does not want to be identified!

As a talker, therefore, I must constantly be checking my heart:

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart (Matthew 12:34).

The measurement of how effective my words are is in the fruit that comes after~

Either make the tree good and its fruit is good or make the tree bad and its fruit is bad – for the tree is judged by its fruit (Matthew 12:33).

I am held accountable for the words I speak…and, trust me, I do not take this lightly!

I want only good things to pour out from my mouth because my heart has been cleansed and transformed by Christ!

I am slowly moving toward my dream to speak encouragement to the Lord’s people, to breathe His life into them so they can endure this world’s trials….My prayer is that good fruit will be evident as I have been entrusted to use this gift for HIS glory.

We all have been gifts to use that point the world to salvation in Christ and the light of His glory…May we all reflect good fruit as we use them!

Ephesians 2:10

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance for us to walk in.