speaking and the heart

last week i was approached by a friend after playing basketball at the local high school. he attends our "band of brothers" (tuesday bible study for men.) he asked about some comments that were said in the previous weeks study. i cringed before he said it because i knew exactly what he was going to mention. the week before some how we were on the topic of iraq and other muslims. in life a lot of time we make general statements that can be offensive. how we bring together and bash that group of people. for example, all muslims are bad.

obviously that is not true. i think we all know we can not say general statments like that. 1. it isnt true and 2. it seems hateful and spiteful to group all muslims in the same group as those who flew into the world trade towers. 3. we are christian who need to show love rather then hate.

it is all dangerous. because it shows what is "overflowing from our heart." sin is obviously a dangerous thing that in times in our life seems out of control. but it is these sins that show our true character and integrity.
we all deal with different types of sin and none of it being good. in my life i have conquered sin of wanting to pick up a porn magazine, the potential of drunkeness as well as others. but does that specifically mean i no longer sin. no, i just deal with other types of it.

before i was married i thought i was a great christian. then i realized after a few months of it that i was a very prideful person that needed to learn to be more compassionate and loving. things we say are an overflow from our heart. if i say something hurtful to jenny, it can be traced right back to my heart.

we all know people that struggle with things in their life. while it may be drunkeness, self control, homosexuality or are just lost because they do not know Christ. the example brought up this morning was, maybe we are joking around about being gay. but in that same group there is someone who struggles with the attraction to the same sex. will we ever be approachable by that person to tell us that they are struuggling in that issue.

we talk about loving Christ and our neighbor, but sometimes with one joke we can lose all credibility that we had. we need to learn to love through "all" we say and do as it is an overflowing of our heart.