Say What?

33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
Matthew 12:33-37

This is something that I continue to struggle with, controlling my tongue. I don't curse too much anymore, a slip here and there, and definitely no "F bombs". But after much reading, listening and prayer over this, God had revealed to me that it is much deeper than just cursing. It is rage and anger, it is the way that we talk to people in a tone of voice that is not pleasant, it is saying something to someone that is mean and hurtful, and, even when our actions have bad intent in them. Oh, how many times have I rolled my eyes at someone, or slammed a door out of anger, or snatched something out of someones hand because I was irritated? Countless times.

Now, I am a people watcher. Everywhere I go I watch people and how they act, I always wonder that they are thinking and where they are going and such...!
Have you ever been at the store and seen a woman with a few kids and she is frustrated, the kids are running around and the baby in the cart is crying, and she is yelling at the older ones, snatches one of them up by the arm and every other word is ass, damn, and shit? I have (and no I'm not talking about myself). In fact it was last week at Wal-Mart. All I could help but think is "how ugly". On that same shopping trip I seen two girls walking through the isle, talking to each other and just a cursing away. Again I thought "how ugly". God made us to be beautiful, inside and out. It is His intention that good things go into our mouths like fruit and water to nourish our bodies and keep them healthy, just as His intention is that good things come out of our mouth, like words, to nourish the soul, ours and the ones of the listener. The listener, think about who is listening to you speak. My children, my husband, my friends, my friends children, people at Wal-Mart... and even God.

Verse 36 tells us that we "will have to give account...for every careless word...spoken".
I'm not so sure that I want to explain to God why I said careless words.
I by no means am I perfect, specially when it comes to my mouth, however, I am more aware of what comes out. I know that I have complete control over my tongue, it does not control me.
It is my personal testimony that God has worked through me in this, when He brought it to my attention, I prayed to Him for help, and He delivered! He is so Faithful and Awesome!