Just Another Day

Today is, evidently, Be Nasty Day. Or, as pretty much most of the world calls it, Friday. The thing of it is, there's so much vileness, meanness, wrongness, unpleasantness, disagreeableness, filth, obscenity, discourtesy, pain, and indecency already in the world, I hardly think we need a day to celebrate it. Just spend some time watching the news on any given day, and you'll get your fill.

Our God, of course, hates that stuff. Hates especially when His children are nasty to one another. Maybe that's why Paul instructed the church to concentrate on building one another up. We have, after all, an entire world to tear us down.

 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29-32)

It's really easy to be a part of the problem. I should know: I've spent the better part of my life both professing Christianity and contributing to the negativity of the world around me. I confess I'm still better at sarcasm, cynicism, and insults than I ever was at building others up. So what's that say about me? And more importantly, what's that say about the church -- the body of Christ on earth?

Thank God, He has begun a good work, the renewing of my mind and the calming of my spirit. Through Him, I find joy in encouraging others, peace in finding whatever small ways are possible to strip away the film of negativity that surrounds our daily lives. 

In fact, it's God's desire that we look through all the junk this world throws at us; that we not be taken in and taken down by the nastiness we encounter on a daily basis. 

"Finally, brothers and sisters," Paul exhorts the church in Philippi, "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 (Philippians 4:8)."

There's a lot of negativity already in the world, and it can be tough to be a light. But when it's this dark, any light at all is a beacon -- a guidepost to the peace and goodness of Christ.

It's Not The Words, But What's Behind The Words That Matters

It's so easy, sometimes, to take a piece of scripture out of context, tell yourself what you think it means, and live up to the reasonably low standard that interpretation sets for you. For example, Ephesians 4:29a (honestly, the only part of Ephesians 4 I've EVER heard quoted by many Christians) says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths."

Which, obviously, means, "don't use curse words." Right? That seems easy enough. Guard our tongues. Awesome. Next. 

Well... let's slow down, Speedy, and take a step back.  

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:29-32)

Wait... you mean it's not just the words we say, but the spirit in which those words are said? Afraid so. 

See, if I've learned anything about the character of God, it's that He is far more concerned with the hearts of His children than He is with their religiosity. Certainly, He wants for us to watch that what we say is glorifying to Him... but it's never really been about the words. It's about the Heart. It helps to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 22:

³⁷ Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^{[c] 38} This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^{[d] 40} All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Every other thing comes down to love. So, what we see, when we look back at Ephesians 4, is that it's not about the words, but about the intent. If you never, ever utter a "curse word," but your words are bitter, or biting, or judgmental, then you are defying Christ's command that we love one another. 

Declaring your hatred for another by saying, "that guy is a gosh-darn jerk" doesn't make you a better Christian... just a bigger hypocrite.