Passage of the Day:
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of, ” Luke 6:43-45.
Reflection:
Cursing is one of those habits in life that is often influenced by the people around you. When I completed in Ultimate Frisbee at the University of Delaware, most of the communication involved four letter words. If we began to lose, cursing came out of the mouth of my teammates. Yet, when the momentum switched, opponents began to lose their cool, in curse filled tirades. As an adult, I’m not immune as some days foul language comes out of nowhere, fueled by frustration or a fit of rage. A first century doctor was caught off guard when Jesus taught about where curse words are conceived. The language that you share daily is an expression of what’s going on inside your heart.
Prayerful Action:
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving, Ephesians 5:1-4.
Restoring Your Heart:
As a young parent, I remember losing it a few times in front of my children. My anger scared my oldest son which brought conviction to my heart. While anger doesn’t disappear overnight, your heart can change when you begin to fill it with wholesome practices like Bible memorization and soaking in Christian music filled with godly lyrics. One of my best memories in college was pouring out my heart to other believers while walking. Some of these walks lasted hours as secret scars deep inside our heart were finally verbalized and brought to the light. This is one of the ideas Jesus’ earthly brother had in mind when he wrote James 5:16.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
I joined an accountability group as an upperclassman in high school. Sometimes one person’s drama during the week shifted our focus. Yet, when it comes to pouring out your heart, the timing has to be right. Those who keep in step with the Spirit, Galatians 5:25, will know when to open up.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 