In Matthew 12:34 Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaks.” About 24 years ago I was exploring this with Henri
Nouwen on my own spiritual journey, and he said, “If you want to know what is
in your heart, listen to what you say when you speak before you think.” I have
added for myself: or what I stop myself from saying when thought catches up to
speech. In the upcoming presidential debates I suggest that we listen for what
the candidates say when they speak spontaneously to get an insight into their
hearts. While their prepared comments may be sincere, they may also cover up or
distract from what is in their hearts. The debate format allows more
opportunities for such spontaneity than do orchestrated campaign events, thus
may give more opportunities for insights into the candidates’ hearts.
