“But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you” (Matthew 15:18, NLT).

“Bonjour, mes amis!” Oops, pardon my French! I should have said, “Hello, my friends!”

How many times have we said or heard that phrase… pardon my French? Most of the time it’s when that spray of words come out of our mouths that are… let’s just say… unprintable.

Are those words important? No, not in and of themselves, because it’s not so much WHAT we say that’s important as it is WHY we say them.

Words begin as a motivation; we’re seeking to make an influential statement. Motivation begins as a thought; how we process our response. And, our response begins as an expression of a desire, a need, an ideal, or a reaction to the words or actions of those around us (whether it’s either good or bad).

The power of our words is not in the sound from our mouths; the power is in the essence of who we are. Our words are the outward expressions of the things within us that drive our instincts or help us position ourselves in our relationships.

The Bible tells us that words can heal. This comes from a heart of compassion and love. The Bible also tells us that words can destroy. This comes from pride or a deep hurt.

What do you want to do with your words? Because we usually go about our days in automatic gear, we rarely think to change that part of how we have expressed ourselves for years and years. But are we really aware of the power BEHIND the words that we say?

If our motivation is born out of compassion and love, very little change may be necessary. But, if our motivation is born out of pride, hurt, or an agenda that has not been reconciled with God’s will, then our automatic response may be causing far more damage to those around us, and even to ourselves, than we are aware of. It’s probably time to take the effort to change our motivation so that our thoughts turn into words that build and strengthen our relationships and make us honorable before God.

David McCall, Executive Pastor

Highland Park Church