When My Cup Spilleth Over

Continuing somewhat on the theme of Anger Management from yesterday's post, I had read something about a week ago I knew I would have to write about here.

The sudden jostling of life and its appointments/disappointments can cause us to react swiftly.  How we react is indicative to our true nature or the condition of our heart, or at least our stability at that moment.

Everyone has those days where things are going just fine, and suddenly while heading home, a car cuts you off and causes you to use evasive actions to avoid an accident. This can be upsetting.

How do you react?

The quote I read was from a Joyce Meyer devotional: 'A cup filled with sweet water when jogged cannot spill one bitter drop.'  This is a very convicting paraphrase/abridgment  of the contents of Matthew 12:33-37 (KJV):

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

I know I have probably quoted this from Matthew several times before, but it is SO convicting to me.  Knowing that in the very reactive moments, my words show the "abundance of my heart" or what is filling me.  And, as importantly, but perhaps more convicting, knowing I shall give an account of every idle word and their content will either justify or condemn me.  Makes you think.  Makes me sad, since I know I lack an internal filter sometimes and have spewed forth many an idle word.

Dear Lord, help me control my tongue and my mind.  Let the words and thought be sweet water from you so that when my cup is spilled that is all that can pour from it.

Rejoice and be glad.