I have long and repeatedly in my life heard the content of Matthew 12:34:

                “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

But somehow the full context supplied by the next verse has escaped me until now:

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.”

That’s from the NIV.  It fits, is what I have most commonly read/heard, and I seem to flow right past it.  Let’s confront ourselves with the rendering of verse 35 from the KJ and several other versions.

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”

We have trained our brains to always think of treasure as something good…and because it is valuable, it it kept hidden or locked away.  Yet, Our Lord tells us we each reveal our treasure within…good or bad…to others.

Like a special traveling exhibit across all the renowned museums in our area (or in the world, if we use social media for virtual viewing!) our treasure is put on display for others to see.  Do we inspire?  Perplex?  Sadden? Shock and awe? Corrupt?

Lord, help us to examine our hearts daily and take inventory of the treasure we are storing there and sharing with others.  Help us to grow in love for good things to fill our hearts with and help us to reject evil that wants to reside within.