“A tree is known by its fruit. . . . For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” —Matthew 12:33–34
After several years of battle, my husband, Brent, was finally successful in getting rid of the fairy rings in our yard. These circles of dark green grass, mushrooms, or brown, dead grass appear when fungal spores infect the soil. And to get rid of them, you need to dig deep, making sure you remove all the infected soil.
It’s the same way with our hearts. Changing your words can certainly influence your attitudes and beliefs, but the most profound change happens from the bottom up. Until the polluted soil in your heart is cleaned out, changing your words just surface dresses the problem.
So, where do you start?
If you want to really see your speech transformed, you need to look under the surface of your words to examine the attitudes and deep beliefs in your heart. And then to truly change, you need God’s help. Thankfully He does not give up on us but is committed to help us purify the soil of our heart.
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Conversation Peace: Improving Your Relationships One Word at a Time (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2004)
Scripture taken from The CSB
Make it Personal
If you notice your words are critical or biting, take some time to pull up that plant and examine the roots and soil underneath.