Heart Check by Our Words: What Our Speech Reveals About Spiritual Health
- Jack Selcher
- Nov 17, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 29
Summary
Jesus diagnoses spiritual heart health by listening to words. Scripture teaches that speech flows directly from the heart and will be evaluated by God. Healthy hearts, renewed by Christ, produce life-giving, truthful, and gracious words that build others and advance the gospel. Though believers are imperfect, their speech reflects transformation. In contrast, unhealthy hearts overflow with corrupt, self-serving words, revealing inner spiritual decay.
If your resting heart rate is 80 beats per minute, your heart contracts 115,200 times daily! In an average lifetime, that is more than 2.8 billion beats.
How Physical Hearts Are Evaluated
Doctors suggest several signs of a healthy heart. The normal resting heart rate is 60–100 beats per minute. A lower rate is usually better as long as it is above 60.
Four additional indicators of heart health are the ability to do moderate-intensity activity without shortness of breath, good energy levels throughout the day, normal blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg, and good oral health.1
What Our Speech Reveals About Spiritual Health
Dr. Jesus knows healthy hearts. He doesn’t need a stethoscope to check them. The words they generate tell the story. Our speech reveals our spiritual health. Jesus listens to what we say. It is all recorded for reference on judgment day.
“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 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” (Matthew 12:33–37 NLT).
Our words expose us. They reveal far more of who we are than our outward appearance. When we speak, others can see us.
Healthy Hearts Produce God-Honoring Words
Those with healthy hearts speak what is good and right. Because Jesus has given them new hearts, He gives them the right words at the appropriate time. When they are arrested, and when they are not (Ezekiel 36:26; Matthew 10:19; Luke 21:15).
They tell others what Jesus has done for them (Mark 1:45). They take God’s word to other people (Mark 4:14). They turn others toward faith in Jesus through their words (Acts 2:37).
Healthy Hearts Produce God-Honoring Words
They share God’s life-giving words (Acts 7:38). They preach and teach them correctly, boldly, sincerely, and with Christ’s authority, knowing God is watching (Acts 4:31, Acts 6:2, 4; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Timothy 2:15).
Like Jesus, their words are gracious (Luke 4:22). They patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage others (2 Timothy 4:2). God works through their words (John 14:10).
God Uses Words to Build and Illuminate
They use the Holy Spirit’s words to explain God’s truth (1 Corinthians 2:13) and strengthen the church (1 Corinthians 14:4). Those words shine like a lamp in the darkness (2 Peter 1:19).
They don’t use foul or abusive language but share good and helpful words of encouragement (Acts 13:15, Ephesians 4:29).
Imperfect Speech but a Clear Direction
They are not perfect. Their speech is not always good and praiseworthy. “Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way” (James 3:2 NLT).
Nevertheless, there is a significant difference between their words and those who are not trying to follow Jesus. Their hearts are healthy. Their words prove it.
Unhealthy Hearts Reveal Themselves Through Speech
Those with defiled, unhealthy hearts gush unkind, defiling words like the sea generates waves (Matthew 15:11, 18; 1 Peter 2:1). What they say flows from the sin-polluted contents of their hearts (Luke 6:45).
They serve themselves through smooth talk and glowing, deceptive words (Romans 16:18). Their harsh, and sometimes slanderous words reflect their bitterness, rage, and anger (Ephesians 4:31).
Their godless living does not reflect wisdom, righteousness, or devotion to God (Titus 2:12). They speak evil against others, judging and criticizing them (James 4:11). They boast about their pretentious plans (James 4:16). They insult those who insult them (1 Peter 3:9). They speak evil and tell lies (1 Peter 3:10). Their hearts are unhealthy. Their words prove it (Luke 19:22).
Comments