Sometimes things happen that remind you how imperfect you are. And it stings like a slap in the face. One of these times was last night. The host of our care group confronted us on some ways that we aren’t Christlike at all.
Often, in my circle of friends, one of the ways we show affection is to tease. In our minds it’s no big deal because it’s intended in the spirit of friendship and love–we forget that not everyone thinks like we do. It turns out that the incessant teasing of this person had deeply offended him, but he hadn’t known how to tell us until it hadn’t gotten so offensive that we made him feel like he wasn’t a man anymore. He felt completely disrespected and as if he didn’t matter to us in the slightest except as the butt of our jokes.
Then he raised the matter of the purity of our speech. Particularly coming from the girls in the group. We often joke around about things that we shouldn’t. We make flippant offhand comments that allude to sex or are blatantly about the topic. And he called us on it. I’m glad he did. I’ve never really been convicted over that aspect of my speech until he stood before our group last night and tried to explain how hard it is for him to keep his thoughts pure when he has to listen to us carrying on like that.
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12
But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
Colossians 3:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Phillipians 4:8
Those are certainly things that I haven’t been very concerned with. It’s “fun” or “funny” to joke like that, except it’s really not. It’s definitely not pleasing to the Lord. It’s going to be hard to break the habit, but it can be done.
Why is it so acceptable, even among Christian circles, to talk about things that should remain in the bedroom?
Trackposted to Pirate’s Cove, third world county, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
It’s true – we have taken our “freedoms” to a place that can hurt others: sarcasm, teasing that wounds. How interesting to read your post this morning because I, too, was involved in a conversation yesterday that troubled me. It was quick. It wasn’t out-and-out horrible (by the world’s standards, anyway), but it was innappropriate. This morning I read, “I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.” (Ps. 17.3) I wrote it as a prayer and I am wondering, -if I commit to keeping my mouth from transgression – how few words will I actually speak, how much quieter will I seem to people who know me?
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That’s a great verse, thanks for sharing it. I need to intentionally choose to keep my mouth from transgression. It’s hard to do when you find yourself at a place where you’re complacent with your faith. Complacency is such a faith-killer.
As far as being quieter…
“Be still, and know that I am God…” Ps. 46:10
Maybe that’s exactly what we need to do.
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It’s so easy for us because we’re so swathed in it. I need to change, too. It’s scary, depressing, and overwhelming, but I need a pure heart and mouth.
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