What you think will ultimately come out. It’s just a matter of time. Some people are like a book…you know what they are thinking. Others are more subtle and are able to conceal what they really think.

Jesus, when engaged by the pesky Pharisees, openly pointed out their often hypocritical words by saying:

“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:34-37).

What’s inside will ultimately come out.

If you’re joyous and in good spirits, your words will transparently convey this to those around you. These are the kinds of people you like being with. I love being around people who radiate joy through positive thoughts and words. That joy translates into good will and wonderful relationships.

On the other hand one who is angry, hateful, jealous, disgruntled or upset, may cover his feeling for some time when around others. I’m sure you know this from what you’ve suspected about others and know about yourself. You can harbor and pretend that you are OK, but it’s just a matter of time before the truth of your mindset is revealed. It comes out first in sarcasm, then gossip with confidants, then growing bitterness, open anger, sedition, passive aggressive behavior and a finale of being open about your ugly feelings. Truly, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks—and it may not be pretty.

The overall judgment on the Pharisees was their hypocrisy. Their words and behavior didn’t sync up.  They spoke lofty words to appear godly, yet inside they were everything but godly. Jesus condemned this duplicity.

The lesson for us is this: He does want us to sound righteous and good, but with the right heart to back it up. The solution is to correct the heart. That’s where ungodly behavior starts.

Christ had another similar encounter when the hypocritical Pharisees judged Him and His disciples for eating with hands that were not traditionally and ceremonially washed. Christ said that the real dirt is not in what goes into our bodies, but what comes out: “What comes out of a person defiles him. For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly. All these evils come from within and defile a person” (Mark 7:20-23).

These are good lessons to help us focus on properly syncing a proper heart or thought process with what comes out from us…which is usually first in words. You can only stay upset so long before the mouth will utter what’s really inside.

The same location in Mark records this statement of Jesus: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me’” (Mark 7:6).

We are in a time of learning to live peaceably in the Church. Part of the basis of peace is how we correct our thoughts with the right words of righteousness. We must search God’s Word to know the things in our hearts that may be corrupting our character, then change. We must make every effort to learn from the past and put away the things that cause division. May grace and peace be with you.