David Bahn – Reflections

Sometimes it is better to keep things unsaid. If the words are cutting and unkind they do not need to color the air. If they do not build up others in the Christian faith they may be unnecessary. Certainly if they undercut that faith they must not be spoken.

Matthew 15:10-20

And he called the people to him and said to them,  “Hear and understand: ¹¹ it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” ¹²Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” ¹³He answered,  “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. ¹⁴Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” ¹⁵But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” ¹⁶And he said,  “Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled? ¹⁸But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. ¹⁹For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Am I to understand that if I can just keep control of my mouth have I won the battle against sin? There may be more to this than meets the eye. Jesus is speaking about the deeper need to address the inner corruption of our being. His list of sins which defile a person includes evil thoughts, false  witness and slander as well as murder, adultery and sexual immorality. We are, in fact, sinners therefore we sin. It’s not our sins that make us sinners.

But the battle against temptation may sometimes be won simply by holding the tongue. Just as we resist the temptation to murder and steal, so we must not speak words that hurt, belittle, or insinuate against our neighbor. Because we have been corrupted by sin we’ll never get it totally right. But we can recognize these inclinations for what they are and seek the mercy and forgiveness of Christ whenever they come. We can call upon the Holy Spirit to help us resist temptation and live a Christian life that honors Christ by what we say or refrain from saying to our neighbor. Such is the beginning of a life that is fuller and richer than mere outward compliance to even the most compelling religious expressions.