“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.†A well-known proverb used by Jesus as he was confronting those who had accused him of being of Beelzebub and were in the early process of figuring out a way to get rid of him. This is a true and frightening saying. We may think that we are telling people something about the world. We are really telling them something about ourselves.

The abundance of the heart exposes us in ways that we may not always be attuned. It took me a long time to figure this out. I have heard public speakers sharing good and useful information and come away with the sense that something wasn’t squaring. Even good words cannot fully mask a troubled or angry heart. I have heard public speakers say very difficult things, but their words and their affect are aligned. A good heart will be seen even when hard words need to be spoken.

Sean is always interested in feedback and conversation. He can be reached at sean.niestrath@outlook.com. He publishes a daily devotional via Substack at .

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