From the Overflow of the Heart

Many words have been spoken today. Many words are spoken around our house everyday, but too many of the wrong kinds of words have been spoken today. I would categorize today as a tough one. Sophie and I were struggling with expressing ourselves using angry words and Will was struggling with his lack of enough words to express himself at all. I saw behaviors that needed to be addressed, and I felt too weary to address them, but not to weary to be angered by them. I called Matt to tell him the list of behaviors that we must formulate a plan to address. Realizing I am in need of more than a plan, I opened today's devotion to be confronted with:

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:43-45 

Fabulous. Just when I want to crack the proverbial parental whip, I read that the problems that need to be addressed most urgently are within my own heart. To a certain extent, the fruit I am seeing in the children is a reflection of my own fruit. Not exactly impressive right now. In fact, thornbushes and briers are good analogies for the words that have been spoken today. A definite "prickliness" has prevailed. And I also realize that it isn't even close to enough to "make an effort" or "try to do better," for the problem really isn't my behavior as much as it is my heart. Once again, my Father is more concerned with who I am that what I do. I think it would be easier to address the behavior, first the kids' and then my own (actually, I could probably try to figure out and address what Matt's done wrong too, and he isn't even here...), but that's not the message I received today. 

So where to begin? If my mouth speaks out of the overflow of my heart, there is only one place to go, and I know I've been here before, and I will certainly be here again... Psalm 51.

So I will make my home here for a while because, if I remember correctly, this type of change can take its time. But a pure heart and a steadfast spirit is worth lingering for. Receiving again the joy of His salvation and being sustained by a willing spirit sounds like it is worth the time. Out of the overflow of my heart, my mouth speaks, and not only does my Father care about my heart as much as I care about my children's, but I also have important little ears listening and precious little hearts being influenced. I want to show them how to have good stored up in their hearts and what to do when the overflow isn't so good.