Wash Yer Mouth Out!

Although it was never said or done to me, nor did I see it happening to anyone else, there was always this common warning heard in our childhood that if you “cursed” you would have your mouth washed out with soap!

Some months ago we discussed how things we watch and think about can affect and disturb our sleep.

When I woke this morning I was really excited and could not wait to get into my morning watch to record my waking thoughts and a solution to a question that had been rolling round my head for seven months or so.

As I considered later how my morning thoughts were so ‘not of me’, and were inspired, I realised again the power of night meditation and how the LORD can use it to speak to us, guide us and even challenge us. And I was reminded again, by how fresh I felt after my night’s sleep, that God’s Word is powerful and alive and that is why He commands us to meditate on it in the night seasons.

Then I thought of that neighbour I was talking to last night who had some colourful language, and indeed, how much swearing has become such a norm in lots of circles nowadays. I thought to myself that perhaps some mouths need some washing with soap! But in reality, after my experience yet again last night, the Word of God is a much more effective and powerful cleansing agent — a whole lot more effective than washing the mouth out with soap! In fact, if we have a habit of washing our minds in the Word we really will see all the junk pushed out of our brains and even our speech will be affected.

What’s that Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh”? Perhaps it’s time to fill our hearts with His Word!