If a water pot has a hole, all the water will leak out. It is not a matter of whether there is water; it is rather a question of whether there is a leak.

Some sincere believers are like that water pot. Being willing and anxious to bear the cross, they should be full of life. Yet, strangely, in such people as these you cannot touch life.

What is the cause of such a strange situation? The answer is that the life they really have has all drained away. “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin” (Prov. 13:3 NIV).

The Word here shows us with certainty that any person who wishes to supply the church with life must be careful in word. Some people do not contribute edification and life to the church body, because life has been drained away through their words.

The thing that dissipates life from most of us is our idle words. “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken” (Matt. 12:35,37 NIV).

Does the Lord speak here of an unclean, evil, or slanderous word? What is an idle word? It is a word of rumor that causes dispute and distrust!

In the case of certain violations, we are able to make some kind of restitution. How can you make amends for idle words spoken against people? Such words are like feathers in the wind. They cannot be gathered up.

You can reimburse someone for things stolen, but by what means do you repay someone for the damage done by idle words? Therefore, the Lord says, “Men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:36-37 NIV).

As the life of an individual may be drained away through idle words, so the life of a church can also be drained away through idle words. Paul exhorted the Corinthian church, “…all of you agree with one another…” (1 Cor. 1:10a NIV).

How could they ever come around to agreeing with one another? Paul continues, “…that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (verse 10b). There is only one sure way to keep a church from falling apart into disunity—to be of one mind and one accord.

The ideal church at Pentecost was in one accord, and that unity is expressed in this passage. There will not be a sour note when we are able to speak the same thing, and keep ourselves from speaking idle words.

Remember the definition of an idle word: A word or rumor that causes dispute and distrust.

Remember also that “from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Therefore we should constantly pray, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my Rock, and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14 NIV).

“Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” (James 3:11 NIV). If a spring cannot spill out two different kinds of water, how can a mouth spill out two different kinds of speech?

As a fountain only sends forth one kind of water, so a mouth should only speak one kind of speech.

Again: Remember that an idle word is a word of rumor that causes dispute or distrust.

Power Principles for Power Living by Dwight Thompson
All rights reserved. Used by permission.