Overflow of the mouth.

A few months ago I was reflecting on the idea that Scripture talks about how the overflow of our mouth comes from the heart. So I began to do some studying on this idea founded in scripture, and how I could learn to guard my heart and mind in order that the overflow of my mouth might be pleasing to others, and honoring to God. I wrote my thoughts and findings on this topic. So I'm going to share them below.

The book of Luke talks about the fact that our thoughts and the things in our heart overflow in the way we act and speak. “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.”(Luke 6:45).

I had been taught this principle at a young age, and knew that my actions reflected my thoughts and heart. So I set out to find in scripture words that would help me to keep my thoughts in check in order that I might speak and act in a way that was honoring to God, and pleasing to others. “All of the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your work will be established.”(Pro 16:2-3). “Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.”(Ps 34:13). “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.(Ps 141:3).

These are verses I often chose to pray before I spoke or acted. I often needed to ask God to keep a watch over my lips, or to keep my tongue from speaking deceit. There were also verses I found that spoke of both the great dangers of the uncontrolled tongue, and the way to keep our thoughts and tongues in check. “So also a tongue is a small member, yet it boast of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”(Jms 3:5-6). “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word turns up anger.”(Pro 15:1) “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”(2 Cor 10:5).

These verses revealed many fundamental truths about the words of our mouths, and their connection to our hearts and minds. The tongue has the power to build up and to destroy, to encourage and to tear down, to incite wrath, or to turn it away. So if the overflow of our lips ultimately comes from the thoughts of our hearts, then how better to set a watch over our lips than to in turn set a guard over our lips, taking every thought captive?

Though in essence this sounds simple, the idea scared me. I am one of those girls that are constantly thinking. I have a hard time falling asleep, listening to a sermon, or reading a boring book because my mind will NOT be quiet.  So the idea of taking every thought captive seemed insane. Every thought? Really? All of them? This task seemed impossible until I found a certain passage of scripture that covered over every single one of my doubts and worries.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”(Phil 4:8). I had heard this verse before, many times, including as a little song made for children. But this was the first time it clicked. How do I take every thought captive? By only allowing true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy thoughts to continue in my mind, I can capture every thought. Sure those sinful thoughts may enter my head, but even though the bird lands on my head, I don’t have to let it make a nest there.

When I am angry at someone? I can think on their admirable traits. When I am having impure thoughts, I can purposely think on that which is pure. When I want to question God, instead I can think on how He is praiseworthy. Do I always do this? Certainly not! I still sin, and there are still birds that build their nest. But they don’t build their nest because I don’t know how to stop them, but rather because I choose not to. This answer is not always easy, but it is simple, and it does work.