The passage mentioned in the title is a very familiar one for many Christians. Here is the full verse:

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Sometimes it is used against profanity, which I agree is not a good use of language. Some men have used it as an excuse to shun small talk for a time. A few have even taken it so far as to avoid acknowledging when another wished them a “good day” out on the street.

Is that what the verse means?

Yes and no. Yes, we should guard our speech and make it useful. Mindless prattle can easily turn to gossip and there are always better things to talk about.

But language serves a purpose. I believe it was from Phillip Yancey that I read that the beings we run into every day are eternal beings. The people that we spitefully use will be around forever. Can we justify not talking to them? How can we not do our best to affect them for the better in eternity?

What are words for anyhow? Are they not a tool for communication? If you read about Body Language, it seems that 93% or so of our communication in general conversation does not come from the words used.

If I were gripping a baseball bat tightly and preparing to swing it at you while saying I enjoy your company, it creates a bit of a conflict. Which would you believe? There becomes a split between the body language, the vocal tone, and the words.

Let’s step back for a few moments even farther. Suppose I had a habit of bashing people’s heads in with baseball bats. I don’t, but let’s suppose. Now if I invited you in for a friendly chat over a cup of coffee and didn’t have a baseball bat in hand, does that change how much you would trust me? Of course not. The bat might be just around the corner waiting for me to grab it.

Does your life back up what you say? Webster’s 1913 Dictionary (what I have handy) defines “idle” this way:

1. Of no account; useless; vain; trifling; unprofitable; thoughtless; silly; barren.

If this is a good definition of the word (and I believe it is), then the words we say can be negated or made “idle” by our life. How do your words measure up against your life? Better yet, how does your prayer measure up against your life?