Does It Really Matter?

"Dad, it's only a word, it's no big deal!" was my daughters response when I overheard some explitives being used in a movie she was watching. I suppose one could argue that it is only a word, and in the final analysis of life not even noticeable. But I think it does matter, and if you read Jesus rightly, He said it mattered too! From Matthew's gospel we read this in Chapter 12:

35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.  36I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,  37for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” I can't even imagine how careless my words have been over my lifetime. Its much to easy to dismiss careless words almost like a sneeze, gone in the flash of a moment. But what I think Jesus was saying is that words do have strong connections to what makes up a person on the inside. Words become the source of diagnosing what kind of worldview someone subscribes to, and what they believe about themselves. I realize that the majority of my words are used either to justify myself or condemn others. No wonder God will bring my words to accountability. Words filled with pride and condemnation are just as distasteful to God as any commonly used swear word. I think the other thing Jesus was saying in this passage is that judgment will be in the future of every living person, and that judgment will be so complete it will even ask you to give an account of every detail even to the simple usage of words.  Can you imagine the detail God records from every individual person who ever lived. Most of the careless words I used in my lifetime, I have forgotten about, dismissed as bad days, or justified as righteous indignation.  My emphasis the last several blogs has to do with personal accountability, where the awareness is real that we will face an eternal God and He hands us an accurate record of how we lived our lives. I think that detailed report will be frightening, because it will show us how sinful, and corrupt our lives had been down to the detail of our words. For those who believe in the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers, we realize that the Grace of God covers that report and deletes the details, leaving only the words, "Forgiven by the Blood of the Lamb." This should bring us some comfort to know that the sinfulness, even the sinful words I have used in my lifetime, will no longer be remembered, even though God has recorded them and could use them as evidence against us. The forgiveness that God offers us through the cross is so complete that even the careless words we use are forgiven. It does matter how we live in this world. It matters so much to God that even the words we use matter to Him.  Take good care of your words, for by them you will stand or fall.  Keeping it honest and truthful......K P.S. We all need to live in forgiveness, but what exactly does that mean? Forgiveness is a broad term, and sometimes we need to define how to forgive in practical steps. Dr Laura has four good steps that are worth reviewing on the theme of forgiveness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFZ-2VCydq8