Luke 6:45, commentary and pictures

Speech shows what is stored inside, for a good inner store produces good words and an evil inner store produces evil words. The heart is a treasure house that keeps what is placed in it and then brings it out in words and life, and it is either yielded to God for purification or left exposed to evil. A heart devoted to God and filled with His love and truth brings forth pure and uplifting speech that presents Christ and cheers, strengthens and wins others to Him. An unrenewed heart holding pride, selfishness, covetousness and evil temper brings forth criticism, unbelief, harsh and worldly talk that spreads darkness, wounds others and dishonors God. Nor is it speech alone, for conduct, character and works also reveal the heart, and all that is said and done is noticed by God and recorded for the judgment.

Words Reveal the Heart

The mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart, so speech discloses the inner store and treasure within, with a good heart bringing forth good and an evil heart bringing forth evil. Good words come from a heart that stores good, while evil words come from a heart that stores evil, and this is shown in living a good Christian life that gives others no ground for false accusation. Words reveal what is within and act like seeds, strengthening or weakening Christian influence and bringing light or darkness to speaker and hearers. Criticism and talebearing reveal an unsanctified disposition, and such harmful words spread darkness and affect others. When God brings the heart's feelings to light through speech, the words disclose what is within.

Not speech alone but conduct, works, writings, character, actions and influence reveal the heart, for what fills the heart is spoken and the works reveal the heart and true purpose. Outward acts are a fair transcript of the principles within, so one honest before God will deal justly with fellow men whether or not it serves personal interest. Every tree is known by its fruit, so believers and unbelievers can judge a professing Christian only by fruit in word and deed. Good fruit is a Christlike character shown in pleasantness, tenderness, sympathy, patience, kindness and courtesy, including willingness in home life to concede ideas and opinions rather than manifest superiority, harshness and imperiousness. If a professing Christian does not bear such fruit he is like a tree that did not bear good fruit and is not a tree of righteousness, and he must bear the fruits of the Spirit to prove his profession genuine.

When the love of Jesus is in the heart, even what is written carries His spirit and brings forth good, precious things that edify the receiver. A demoralizing trait expressed in word or deed spreads evil, while cultivating the good allows it to predominate, for character is formed through choices in developing the faculties and its influence can harm or benefit others. Character is known by the actions it produces, each person is rewarded according to works, and self-seeking rather than self-denial reveals the heart's true character. Religious profession or talk has no value before God when actions contradict it, for character is made known by its fruits.

The heart is a treasure house that stores what is put into it and then brings it out in words and life. It is the seat of all good or evil, holding the treasures of life or death, and it is not neutral but either yielded to God for purification and sanctification or exposed to temptation. A heart devoted to God and shaped by truth brings forth good, while an evil heart brings forth evil. Even truth presented when mixed and tainted with self tastes unsavory like the dish it is served in, for a fountain cannot send forth sweet water and bitter from the same place, so work must be done day by day to be pure and undefiled in heart in order to bring forth good things from the treasures of the heart. When children and youth are taught Bible truth plainly and simply, by kindergarten methods and object lessons from nature and the parables of Christ, truth is fastened in the mind as seed sown in good ground and kept as precious treasure in the heart. What is thus stored is afterward brought forth, as children returning home speak out the lessons received, and as seed sown through work for youth springs up to bear fruit even among unbelievers.

What the mind dwells on, loves best, works for most zealously and cultivates comes out in speech, for thoughts, purposes and desires bear fruit in words that display the heart's character. People talk most about what occupies them, so when the mind dwells on worldly business the tongue gives it away. Sabbath conversation about worldly matters shows a heart occupied with them and constitutes Sabbath-breaking even when physical labor has stopped, and worldly talk about business, profits, crops and other common matters shows the mind has not been disciplined to dwell on sacred things and violates the Sabbath's sacredness. The repeated talk of young women and young men about one another exposes where their thoughts are centered, constant talk about boys proves a heart full of uncontrolled passion and base affection, and blind insinuations disclose dissatisfaction within even beyond what the speaker realizes. Disobedience to parents and being pert, unthankful, unholy and forward are the evil fruit proving an evil treasure within, and deceitful habits to carry out those desires grow from that same corrupt heart. When mind and heart are full of God's love, conversation expresses that love in praise, thanksgiving, mercy and kindness, and such speech revealing Christ can help and encourage others and win people to Him.

Religious profession, talk, prayers, exhortations and claims of faith or sanctification have no value when actions contradict them. A profession of faith or sanctification that accommodates false teaching does not make the heart good, for what a person produces reveals what is treasured. A man may at first appear a perfect Christian by prayers and exhortations, but his true heart is revealed as he becomes known by selfishness, fretfulness, harshness and constant planning for his own advantage, disposing of things to benefit himself, dealing selfishly and taking advantage of others. Such fruit has a withering, blighting influence that tears to pieces and wounds everywhere, gives a bad example to the flock and brings God's frown upon him. Character is decided by what a person loves best and works for most zealously, the unseen inner heart is known by outward developments, and God deals less with outward actions than with the heart that prompts them, so those claiming to believe the truth must make it fragrant by a life like Jesus who is truth instead of making little of the truth and thinking little of Jesus.

Everything done or said comes under the notice of God, and whatever is at heart will be revealed in character and have influence on associates. Words spoken by professed Christians are recorded and will bring shame when faced on the day of God, cheap talk, flattery and foolish jokes disclose what is within, spread harmful impressions, serve deceptive work and draw speakers and hearers toward ruin, and such deeds will be exposed in the heavenly record at the judgment. Careless words reveal inward thoughts and prove what food the soul feeds on, and even when no harm is meant, thoughtless, foolish, unkind and harsh words belong to the evil treasure of the heart and work on the side of evil. Only God can measure the mischief they do, for they are watched by believers and unbelievers, shape hearers, produce unhappiness especially in the family circle where harsh words rankle for years and never lose their sting, and no later association will wholly undo their unfavorable influence, so those professing Christ must weigh the influence of every word. All such fruit of the heart will meet its record in the judgment face to face with those who might have been helped.

Good and Evil Treasure

Good treasure is a heart given over to God and formed by truth, filled with His love and Spirit with Christ dwelling inside, its natural traits pruned and its mind trained to dwell on sacred things. The heart is never neutral but is either yielded for purification and sanctification or left open to temptation, and mere profession of faith or sanctification that makes room for false teaching does not make it good. When the heart is full of the Spirit the tongue speaks out of that fullness with ready utterance given by the Lord, carrying a felt manifestation of divine power and presence.

From such good treasure come pure, sacred and uplifting words, including praise and thanksgiving, truth, mercy and kindness, noble aims and desires for holiness, cheerful testimony, edifying writing, and much speaking of God's mercy, the Saviour's love and precious personal experience with Him. When Jesus' love is within, even written communication carries His spirit and brings forth good, precious things that build up the receiver. Thoughts, purposes and desires bear fruit in words that show the heart's character, so great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth, unselfish purposes and yearnings for piety and holiness find expression in speech.

Good words present Christ and work like seeds and like a spring of living water, bringing light and gladness, cheering and blessing those in darkness, strengthening, helping and encouraging others, making religion attractive and winning souls to Him. Christ's love in the soul flows outward into everlasting life wherever it reaches, and copying Christ and representing His character lets light shine to guide others into right and safe paths by choice words and counsel, becoming a savor of life unto life. Failure to keep the heart filled reverses this, as warned by Hezekiah's failure to prove true to his trust before the ambassadors from Babylon, teaching the need to keep the heart filled with God.

Evil treasure is an unrenewed, undisciplined and unconverted heart holding pride, vanity, evil temper, covetousness, jealousy, evil-surmising and selfishness, where even truth mixed and tainted with self becomes unsavory like the dish in which it is served. The heart is the seat of all evil or good and holds the treasures of life or death, and as a fountain cannot send forth sweet water and bitter from the same place, work must be done day by day to be pure and undefiled in heart. Evil thinking produces evil speaking, and such abuse of the talent of speech dishonors God and cripples His work.

From evil treasure come criticism and talebearing, discouragement, evil-speaking, backbiting, doubt and unbelief, cheap talk, flattery and foolish jokes, hasty passionate words, slang, harsh, thoughtless and unkind words, constant talk of base passion or domestic grievances, and worldly talk about business, profits and crops on the Sabbath. When the mind dwells on worldly business the tongue betrays it, so Sabbath conversation about worldly matters shows a heart occupied with them and itself breaks the Sabbath even when physical labor has ceased. Without Christ within, speech turns to frivolity and joking that hinder spiritual growth, and lips that do not hold God's truth criticize His servants and find fault with the message He sends.

Evil words spread darkness and harmful impressions, sow seeds for a harvest opposite to goodness, spoil Christian influence, dishonor God and cripple His work, draw speakers and hearers toward ruin in Satan's service, wound like a withering blight, rankle for years especially in the family, stir hatred and strife, and become a savor of death bringing condemnation. Words act as seeds that strengthen or weaken Christian influence and bring light or darkness to speaker and hearers, and hasty spirit, passionate words, slang phrases and foolish talk do more mischief than is imagined. The tongue is therefore governed only by complete surrender to God, reliance on His promises, earnest prayer, determined effort, disciplining the mind, and conversion of the tongue, by which a heart refined, softened and ennobled by grace testifies to its change and even under provocation can refrain from sinful speech.