Words Mean Something

When a certain young rich man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19.16) Knowing the condition of the young man’s heart, Jesus asked, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Matthew 19.17) The truth was, the young man didn’t really look to the Lord as either Good or a teacher. He was more interested in keeping hold of his wealth than to be guided by Christ. As the Gospel says, the young man, “Went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Matthew 19.22)

When what we feel in our hearts does not match the words that come from our lips, we cannot experience the joy that comes from knowing Christ. When we speak words we think the other wants to hear, we cannot even begin to have an honest relationship with each other. If our words do not express our heart, we are not only lying, we are denying ourselves the opportunity of having any type of relationship, and we walk away sorrowful.

Some might think it simply isn’t possible to always ‘mean what we say, and say what we mean.’ The Disciples thought the same thing when they heard Jesus say, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.... ‘Who then can be saved?’ But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."” (Matthew 19.24-6) And Jesus always means what He says!