In a recent devotional, Rabbi Schneider reflected on a bold statement from Jesus in Matthew 12:34, challenging believers to consider the spiritual weight of their words.
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“You brood of vipers. How can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart,” Schneider quotes from the passage.
“Obviously, Yeshua is condemning the Pharisees and their unrighteousness,” Schneider explained. “But there’s a real nugget there for you and I to meditate on today.”
He emphasized that many Christians speak carelessly, without realizing their words reflect the state of their hearts. “The gossiping about one another, the speaking ill of brothers and sisters… we start sharing stories that really aren’t the full picture,” he said.
Schneider urged listeners to apply a simple test to their speech: “Number one, is what’s coming out of our mouth good? Secondly, is it true? And thirdly, is it helpful?”
Quoting James 3, he added, “The Bible tells us that our mouth is like the rudder of a ship. The way that we speak is going to determine the trajectory of our soul.”
Schneider concluded with a word of caution and encouragement: “The Lord has given us two lips to guard our tongue. So watch your words. And as you do, you’re going to be drawn deeper into the realm of eternal life.”
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Watch Schneider’s full video below.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.