Matthew 12:36 - Idle Words and Judgment.

Matthew 12:36 - Idle Words and Judgment.

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV) But I say to you that for every idle word 
men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 
 

Matthew 12:36 (NIV) But I tell you that men will have to give 
account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 
 

  Jesus spoke plainly about our idle words, yet His warning 
often goes unheeded. Jesus said that for every idle word there will be 
a time of accounting in the day of judgment. We would expect Jesus 
to condemn profane and vile uses of the tongue, but idle words? 
Idle words are things we say carelessly, without concern for their 
impact on others. We too quickly assume that the sins of our tongue are 
minor sins, sins that God will overlook. Yet Jesus was fully aware of 
the devastating nature of our words, for the idle words that come 
from our mouths give a lucid picture of the condition of our heart 
(Mt 15:17-20). 
  The Book of Proverbs encourages us to speak less rather than 
risk saying something offensive (Pr 17:28). Often when we have 
nothing significant to say we are tempted to speak injurious, idle 
words. The more time we spend in idle chatter, the greater the 
likelihood that we will say things that are harmful. James cautioned 
believers to be "swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (Jam 1:19). 
We are in much less danger of saying something offensive when we 
are listening than when we are speaking! 
  Think carefully about the words that come from your mouth. 
Christians should speak only words that uplift and bring grace to others 
(Eph 4:29). Do you need to speak less? Do you need to be more careful 
about the kind of humor you use? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you 
evaluate whether your words build up others or whether they destroy and 
hurt others. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard 
Blackaby re Mat. 12:36] 

Jesus reminds us that what we say reveals what is in our hearts. 
What kinds of words come from your mouth? That is an indication of 
what your heart is really like. You can't solve your heart problem, 
however, just by cleaning up your speech. You must allow the Holy Spirit 
to fill you with new attitudes and motives; then your speech will 
be cleansed at its source. [Life Application SB re vv. 34-36]