OUR NOT-SO-HIDDEN TREASURE

February 9, 2016

OUR NOT-SO-HIDDEN TREASURE

Matthew 12:33–37

Mike Moss

Central Truth

Jesus says that our mouths are windows to our hearts, revealing inner treasure that is either good or evil. We must diligently guard our hearts and allow God to fill us with His good treasure. Our speech will then honor God and bless others.

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” (Matthew 12:34b-35)

A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit

33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

I want to love others well and use my words to bless and build them up, but I too often hurt them instead with words spoken in anger, insecurity, selfishness, or careless insensitivity. I then wonder why I said what I did, where my words came from, and how I can better control what I say in the future.

In today’s passage, Jesus reminds us that a tree is known by its fruit (verse 33). He points out that our hearts are treasure chests and that our words reveal whether our hearts are filled with good treasure or evil treasure. Good heart treasure includes the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). God seeks to develop these good treasures in hearts so that they will then be revealed and flow outward to others in our speech and actions.

Conversely, evil treasure includes such things as sexually immoral and impure thoughts, idolatry, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, rivalry, dissension, division, and envy (Galatians 5:19-21). You can also throw in malice, slander, deceit, insolence, haughtiness, boastfulness, foolishness, faithlessness, heartlessness, and ruthlessness. (Colossians 3:8; Romans 1:29-31; 2 Corinthians 12:20) We must diligently protect our hearts from such evil thoughts and works as God continues to grow His good fruit in us. The more our hearts reflect God’s good treasure, the more our words will also.

Proverbs 4:23 emphasizes the importance of guarding our hearts: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” How? We must pray and ask God to create a clean heart in us (Psalm 51:10). We must also study the Bible and “store up” God’s Word in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). We must further guard our thoughts, which in turn influence our attitudes and speech, by thinking about things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8).

Diligently doing these things and allowing God to build His good treasure in our hearts will help us honor Him and better love and bless others with our words.

1. Do your words reveal good or evil treasure in your heart?

2. What would your spouse, children, friends, and co-workers say if you asked them what type of treasure your words reveal? Does the thought of asking them make you anxious?

3. Do your words always accurately reflect what’s in your heart? Or do you sometimes carefully choose your words based on your desire to influence, please, or impress others? What’s the difference between selfishly trying to impress God or others with what you say and selflessly speaking the same words in truth and love? Does your motivation really matter if the words are the same?

4. What do you value more—the spiritual treasures in your heart or the material treasures in your life? What are you doing to fill your heart with an abundance of good treasure?