What's in your heart?

Luke 6:45
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.



I wanted to begin this post with something witty, something intelligent, or something that at least sounded nice. I can't think of any good ways to start this though, so I'll just talk to you like we were talking in person. I want to talk about the way Christians talk. What kind of communication goes on when you get together with your Christian friends?

I've been in a few different youth groups, and I've been in a church without an official youth group, but youth group or no, I always get together with the people my age and talk. When I was 10-14 I talked about whatever was going on in my life. School, siblings, grandparents, etc. When I was 14 God called me to a personal relationship with Him, and that really did change my heart. I began to want to talk about Him and what He was doing for me, what He has done for others, what we can do through Him for others - He is my focus, and what I want to talk about. I was scared to talk about Him with my friends though. They were "Christians", but I was afraid they'd laugh at me or make fun of me for being a goody-goody little miss Jesus-girl. (Some of them already did, so why I was afraid of that, I'm not so sure.) Not long after that we went back to our old church, where I felt more comfortable (though not completely) talking about what was going on with me spiritually. I found out that my true friends didn't think it was odd of me to talk about those things, and that we all actually enjoyed the conversations about God, when they were brought up.

Getting older, going to a new church, getting to spend more time with friends I have become a little taken aback at the way our conversations tend to go, and not go. When we gather to learn about our savior,conversation rarely goes beyond, "Hi, how are you?" and "Oh, great. Not much going on!" Christians are a network of believers there to help each other grow and become more like Christ. It's okay, and good - at fitting times - to share your burdens, or just ask for prayer and a hug. It's always good to share what God is teaching you! More than likely you will end up encouraging the person you are talking to.

The thing that shocks me even more than the lack of depth in our conversation, however, is the amount of ridicule. One moment we're in Sunday School learning about the greatness of our God, and the next, cracking jokes at homosexuals, Mexicans, and Obama. Ephesians 5:4 says, "Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."

I admit, I am just as guilty of everything I am writing about today as my friends are. This is something God has been working in me about. Just because I'm not perfect at it though, doesn't mean I shouldn't share with you all what I am learning.

When we go to church, shouldn't we talk about the One in who's name we are gathered? Why do we end up talking about everything that doesn't matter, and making racist jokes, disrespecting our authorities, and laughing at sin? How can we laugh at what put Jesus on the cross?! What's the point in crude swear words, and why don't we understand the blasphemy in profaning God's name?

As I thought about all these things, talked to friends, and prayed, God showed me the issue isn't so much what we talk about, but the heart. I know what is in my friends hearts because of what they do and don't talk about, and the words they use, and that makes me sad. The Bible has a lot to say about how we talk.

Pro 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Col 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.



So, your speech is a problem? What can you do about it? Get your heart right. If you recognize that there is a problem in the way you communicate and you really want to fix it, pray for God to change your heart. Take wrong thoughts captive through the power of God - the power that brought Christ out of the grip of death. Confess your sin to God and be willing and humble for him to change you, and he will!


So this may not be the most sophisticated, clear, coherent post in the world, but it has been on my heart. I'd like to see my "Christian" friends turn into friends with a passion for Jesus, -friends who don't find it strange that I always go back to one topic - God. I truly am tired of hearing jokes about Barack Obama, Mexicans, and gay people.

To disrespect Barack Obama is wrong. We are not called to agree with out authorities, but we are called to respect them, and to pray for them, and NOT to mock and ridicule them. How can we expect to show them the power of Christ if we act like the rest of the world?

So there are homosexuals and people of different skin color and culture in the world. Why do we make fun of their sin? How can we make fun, make light of sin? Why don't we focus on sharing the Light with them?

I challenge you to find ways to talk about God and make Him a totally relevant part of your life. I challenge you to see the error in the ugly jokes and leave them behind, instead, taking time with your friends to pray for our president-elect, and the sinners we live with. If we do this, we can rock your world and make a huge difference for Christ.