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Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Gospel:
Matthew 15: (10-20) 21-28
The Words We Speak
Highlighted
Verses: Matthew 15: 10-20
Then he called the
crowd to him and
said to them, “Listen and understand: 11it is not what goes
into the
mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that
defiles.” 12Then the disciples
approached and said to him, “Do you
know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” 13He
answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be
uprooted. 14Let them alone; they
are blind guides of the blind. And
if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15But
Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16Then he said,
“Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not see that
whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the
sewer? 18But
what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what
defiles. 19For
out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication,
theft,
false witness, slander. 20These
are what defile a person, but to eat
with unwashed hands does not defile.”
Have
you ever heard the expression, "you are what you eat?" It means that if
you eat healthy things you'll have a healthy body.
During Jesus' life many people followed strict rules about the foods
they could eat because they believed that God didn't want them eating
certain things. But in today's gospel lesson Jesus tells them that it's
not what goes into their mouths
that matters to God - it's what
comes out.
What do you think Jesus meant? What comes out of our mouths? (Solicit
children's responses.)
That's right. The things we say are important because our words are
full of power. Has anyone ever said something that made you feel really
proud of yourself? Words can do that. They can make us feel happy - and
make us feel loved. They can make us feel important and smart and
capable...
But maybe you can also think of a time that someone said something that
really hurt your feelings? Words can sometimes "hurt" more than even
hitting or kicking, can't they. They wrong words - unkind words - can
make us feel terrible, can't they?
So this week I want you to join me in thinking carefully about the
words you use - and look for chances to use your words to make people
feel better, smarter, happier and more loved than they did before you
spoke. Will you do that?
Let's pray.
Dear God,
Jesus reminds us that our words proceed from our hearts. Fill our
hearts - and words - with your love during the week ahead.
Amen.
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