*Originally, this post started out as a single post, but as I was writing it, I realized there is a lot of trash in our lives that we need to rid of. So, here’s part one ;)
Lately I have been thinking about all of the trash we have in our lives. One thing in particular is the “trash” that we let come out of our mouths. We have this mental list of forbidden words, you know the ones that we call cuss words or bad words, and we stay away from them at all costs. Yes, we stay away from them, but we have come up with other words that serve as replacements, which God has been showing me are just as bad.
In my economics class (there’s a point to this, I promise!) we have been talking about how sometimes instead of buying a name brand we buy a substitute product. This substitute product is just as good as the name brand, it just doesn’t have the popular brand on it making it cheaper.
Now, here’s my point, we use these words that we don’t think are “bad” like cuss words are, its like buying a substitute product. The words mean the exact same thing, but they are spelled different and sound different. So instead of using “brand name” words, we are using “substitute” words. We think that we are avoiding these bad words, but we really aren’t.
Ephesians 4:29 says “Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.” With that being said, why don’t we start using words that are pleasing to the ears instead of words that make you cringe, or their substitute?
Another thing that was brought to my attention a few days ago as I was thinking about this post that has been sitting in my IPod for a couple days now, was the sermon that Pastor Lindy preached a few weeks ago. He was preaching on Ephesians 5:15-18. (The full sermon can be found here) The point that really hit me was the point he made about Verse 18, which says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the spirit.” He said that if we want to live a life in the Holy Spirit, why would we want to put anything else in me that would chase the Holy Spirit away. He was referring to alcohol (also called spirits), but I think it applies in this situation too. Why would we use these foul words when there is a chance that it chases the Holy Spirit out of us? The fact of the matter is, I don’t want anything to chase the Holy Spirit out of me, so I’m takin’ the trash out of my life, are you?
Stay tuned for my next installment, coming soon!
