Lesson 14: Speaking the Gospel in Words of Life
Questions 3 and 4
Whatever is in our hearts will eventually come out of our mouths. This truth is never more evident than when adversity comes.
If we have self-righteousness in our hearts, then our words will be harsh and judgmental towards those who sin against us. Conversely, if the love of Jesus is in our hearts, then our speech will be humble and kind even in the face of offense.
Question 3. Think about the things you have said to your spouse lately, what does what you have said reveal about what is in your heart? Please share.
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I am grieved to remember how the evils of anger, jealousy, bitterness, and fear once filled my heart, and even more to know that those evils came out of my mouth as wounding words.
So, what are we to do if we find that evil is in our hearts and not good? We know we need to change, but how? There is a solution to this problem, and we can see it illustrated in the Old Testament. Please read with me:
“Elisha returned to Gilgal and there was a famine in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.” 39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. 40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.” 2 Kings 4:38-41 (NIV)
In 2 Kings 4, we read of Elisha and a large company of prophets who were meeting together. There was a famine in the land, scavenging for food was necessary, but this time there was a problem. They made stew, but the stew contained poisonous gourds, and when they tasted it, they experienced the bitterness of the “death in the pot.”
Question 4. According to 2 Kings 4:41, what did Elisha do to solve the problem?