Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
God pays attention to all of our words.
The Bible says that all of our words are an overflow of our hearts. And so God keeps track of the things we say.
Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV) I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
Jesus says that we need to give an account to God every careless word that we spoke. We have to explain to God every harsh word we said, every mean thing we said, and every rude thing we posted on facebook.
A lot of times we say something mean to someone, and then say, “Oh, I’m just kidding.” And we expect them to not get mad at us. Well, Jesus tells us that we can’t hide behind the line that we are just joking. God pays attention to all our words, and calls us to account for our words.
Now, that’s a scary thought. But we don’t have to just live in fear of judgment day.
Jesus is trying to warn us in this verse. But the Bible says that we can use our words in a way that please God.
Proverbs 10:11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain.
Think about drinking a glass of water on a really hot day. It’s refreshing. It makes you feel better.
Ok, maybe you don’t drink water. Well, think about drinking an ice cold Mountain Dew on a hot day. Just like that water or Mountain Dew is refreshing, our words should be refreshing to others.
Proverbs 12:18 The words of the wise bring healing.
Our words can make people feel better. We all know how it feels when someone says something rude or negative about us. It hurts and lasts a long time. But it is also true that when you say something helpful and kind to someone, it brings healing to that person.
Our words matter and they will last into eternity. So, you use your words to honor God and help others.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
- If you could take one item that you currently own with you to heaven, what would it be? Why?
- Read Matthew 12:36-37. How should these verses make us change the way we speak to others?
- Have you ever said something mean, and then tried to play it off as a joke? Why do we do this?
- What can you do to be wiser with your words?
- How do you know if your words are helping or hurting people?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
