“For from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. A good person brings forth good out of a store of goodness, but an evil person brings forth evil out of a store of evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak.” – Matthew 12:34-36
In these words, Christ makes an important connection between what we say and what’s in our hearts.
This isn’t the first time He points this out, but it’s one of the clearest reminders: what’s in our hearts inevitably spills out in our words.
So, first question: what’s your heart full of?
If your heart is full of love and virtue, that will naturally show in the way you speak.
And if that feels tricky to answer, here’s another way to get at it: what actually does come out in your speech? Take a moment to notice. Think about your tone, the words you choose, how you speak to others. Those little things reveal what’s going on inside your heart.
And about those “careless” words—Christ reminds us they matter, too. It’s humbling to realize how often we’re careless in what we say.