Luke 6:45 says, "...for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart the mouth speaks." This is a Scripture that I became very familiar with as a young girl in church, my parents put it another way, "Garbage in ~ Garbage out".

What you allow in your life or give your time to will come out - in your actions - in your speech - in the way you handle yourself, etc. Dave has given us the picture of a tube of toothpaste before, put some pressure on it and you instantly see what's inside. Do you fill your mind, eyes, ears, and heart with God's Word or with stuff from the world?

Never before have I been so aware of the truth in this verse. This past weekend while camping at MBC something tragic almost happened. Alden and Ruby were both caught in an undertow at the base of a natural waterslide that could have claimed their lives. It’s not something I want to make light of either but what impressed me the most in listening to Ruby’s story is what she said in the midst of it all. In a fight for her life, quite literally, she managed to make it to the surface and cry out to God, “Jesus save me” (in Chinese).

What she said - when she said it - has stuck with me all day long and I can’t shake it. It has made me wonder what I would have said or thought if I was in the same situation? You don't have to wait until something big happens to find out. What comes out of your mouth when you stub your toe or when someone cuts you off on the road or when you're disappointed the 100th time by someone?

For out of the abundance – the overflow – your true being brims over into words and actions.

I want to be that good (healthy) tree that is known by the fruit it produces. I want my words in a moment of crisis to reflect a heart that is honourable and intrinsically good. I want the Words of Life to be inside of me so deep that when I’m being squeezed that is all that comes out!

You might have learned something different from Alden and Ruby’s story and experience but this is what God showed me…

Luke 6:43-45