Today while reading in I Corinthians 15, the following caused me to stop and evaluate myself …
I Corinthians 15: 33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Have I taken evil speaking into my heart?
I recalled having lunch with a woman I once worked with earlier this week, and another woman I once worked with who came to my house (with yet another woman) yesterday for lunch. One woman spoke with resentment; the other with contempt for others.
Resentment –
feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as
a wrong, insult, or injury
Contempt –
feeling that a person or thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving
scorn
I turned to
God and asked Him to uproot resentment and contempt that had gone into my
heart. I was reminded that I had already
wanted to speak something one of these women had said, but had felt uneasy
about speaking this. I believe this was the
Holy Spirit stopping me. At the time I wasn’t aware of why I was being
stopped, but now can see that there was contempt mixed in with her words. What she said had gone into my heart, and if
allowed to stay in my heart and grow, it would eventually come out of my
mouth. I’m grateful that the Holy Spirit
was shining a light on this, allowing me to deal with it before God.
Luke 6: 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
We deceive ourselves if we think we’re not affected by evil we’ve heard. And, if we don’t turn to God and allow Him to uproot these things from our hearts, they will come out of our mouths.