JUL 30

Matthew 15:7-9
Memorise Matthew 15:8
“If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man”

In the ‘Christian lingo’ that we are so accustomed to using, there are a few stock phrases that we hear being repeated quite often. When we are happy, we exclaim ‘thank God’, or ‘praise the Lord’. When we are unsure of things that are yet to happen, we say ‘God willing’, or ‘if the Lord tarries’. When we wish for things we say ‘I’m praying’, or ‘let us pray that God will…’. Sometimes we explain the reasons for why we do certain things, is because ‘God moved me’ or ‘I felt the Spirit’s prompting’. These are good phrases to use, and it is nothing wrong with saying them. However, each time we mouth these words, we are using the name of our Lord. If we truly mean what we say, then all is well and good. However, if it becomes just part of our vocabulary, like second nature to us, and we do not consider what we really mean when we say it, then we are in danger of breaking the third commandment. You see, what we are then doing is just using God’s name falsely, vainly without really submitting to His sovereignty in our lives. If our mouths claim to praise God, but really you are just rejoicing in your own ‘luck’ or congratulating yourself for your own accomplishment, we not only blaspheme the name of God, but also become a hypocrite! We make ourselves sound more religious than we really are.

When something good happens to you, and you excitedly shout ‘thank God’, really mean what you say. And also be sure that the thing you are thanking God for is something that God is pleased to reward you with. If you sin, and rejoice in something that is sinful, do you really think God wants to be associated with your thanks? Perhaps you decided to skip class one day, and managed to not get caught, do you really think this is something God wants you to thank Him for?

We must be very careful that we do not be as the hypocrites whom Jesus described in Matthew 15:8. With their mouths and their lips, they seemed to be rather religious, and claimed to be following God and His Word. However, Jesus saw through their hearts, and knew that they were actually far away from God. They were insincere and hypocritical with their speech, and in so doing had taken the name of God in vain. Are we sometimes guilty of this?

Thought: It is better to remain silent than to shame God’s name.
Prayer: Lord, help me to bridle my tongue to only say words that I mean, and not empty words that dishonour You