And from the heart flow our thinking, feelings, and actions. As Tim Keller explained, “The heart is not just the seat of the emotions but also the source of our fundamental commitments, hopes, and trust. The Bible does not distinguish between the head and the heart, combining the elements of mind, will, and emotions together with the language of an organ that can feel, think, and act. In our culture today, we tend to think of the heart as the home of our emotions, sending chalky-tasting heart-shaped candies to one another to express our love and affection, but the biblical concept of the heart is broader than the emotions. Jesus summarizes His higher standard by stating, “ The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” ( Luke 6:45). ![]() Jesus expands the requirements of the Law from expecting good behavior to transforming us into His people by responding to His words with action. Jesus describes what it looks like to be His disciple, raising the bar of the Law from “ Do good to those who do good to you” ( Luke 6:33) to “ Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return” ( Luke 6:35). ![]() In Luke 6, a great crowd is gathered before Jesus, seeking to hear him and be healed. ![]() We are told to think before we speak, but when we don’t remember to do this, where are these words coming from? Why in moments of strong emotion, anger, or pain, do our words tear down and not edify and what can we do about it? How Does the Mouth Speak Out of the Abundance of the Heart? It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” ( James 3:7-8, ESV). Have you ever said something hurtful or unkind and wondered, “Where did that come from?” Have words left your lips and even as they exit you regret their expression and wish to retract them? James acknowledged the deadly impact of the tongue when he said, “… No human being can tame the tongue. " The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." ( Luke 6:45, ESV)
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