Some people may be aware of a leak of disaster proportions. For weeks and weeks we've heard about the toxic, harmful oil spewing into our oceans. Unfortunately, there's a more overlooked leak that has been spilling out for longer than weeks. Actually, it's being spilling, spewing, and spurting for years and years. This leak also spews harmful toxins. You, have been directly influenced by these toxins. You have spread these toxins.
There's no way that we can escape the news of the oil leak in the gulf, and as I sat thinking about the leak, I was reminded of something that seems somewhat similar. We have a similar problem in our lives. Every day words flow from out mouth, spreading toxins, harming those around us. The flow, often unhindered, out into the air, where the can never be retrieved. There's a bigger problem there though than just dangerous and hurtful words coming out of our mouths.
Matthew 12:34 says, "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Hurtful words flowing from our mouths point to a more serious problem, a heart problem. Often this is a lack of love or an exhibition of our own selfishness. When we say harmful, mean, stupid things, it's pointing to a heart problem. We can't just focus on not saying those things. We must examine our heart, and work to change it with God's help. Imagine what it would be like if all the people in the Gulf were doing was cleaning up the oil from the ocean, but no one tried to stop the leak. It would be a full-time pointless task, because they weren't trying to fix the source of the problem. It's the same way with our words. If you are finding it hard to say nice thing about that annoying co-worker, or to not spread the juicy gossip that you heard at church last Sunday, try fixing the source of the problem, the heart.