Message: A tree is known by the fruit it produces. A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit and a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit.
Command: I am going to have to give an account for every word, and on judgment day I will have to give account for every careless word.
Promise: By my words I will be acquitted.
Warning: By my words I will also be condemned.
Application: This one stings a little. Ok it stings a lot. I have a deep conviction about words because I do understand their severity. I feel a very strong conviction about saying anything negative about the value of any person. While I deeply feel that and hold to a standard, I am very guilty of letting loose on other words that are also harmful. As much as I want to pretend that I don’t have control over my words, I absolutely know that is not true because I am fully aware of situations where I have controlled my words for certain situations. I can’t expect to be known as a tree with good fruit if I indulge myself in harmful and careless words. This has to be a non-negotiable in my life.
