“Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness {to God}.” (Ephesians 5:4 AMP)
What? No obscenity, indecency, corrupt or coarse jesting? You’ve got to be kidding! We’ll be made fun of; we won’t fit in; they’ll say we’re abnormal! These are some of the very first thoughts that will rush to our mind when confronted with the reality we are to be different than the world.
Even as young children we struggle with our identity. We really don’t like being different. We want to belong and be a part of the group. The world has a way of making us feel like an outcast if we do not go along with their norm.
The situation really doesn’t change when we become a Christian. The tug is there to be like everyone else; but our heart has changed, and what was okay yesterday is no longer acceptable. It takes us a while to not struggle with being labeled abnormal according to the world’s standards.
Once we have committed our life to the Risen Savior we are children of the King of kings. God becomes our Heavenly Father. He has a new set of rules He expects us to obey. We are permitted to live in the world but we’re not permitted to behave as the world does. It only makes sense. If we act like the world, what would draw non-Christian to our loving Savior?
It is our being different from the world that draws others to God. He understands the importance of our reaching out to the hurting people around us and having something special to offer them. He knows that our words have the power to bring life or death. We are His children; we represent the character of our Father. He cannot allow us to act like the world. Our refusal to be like our Father pushes the lost into the arms of Satan.
God’s word is very plain about our maintaining a thankful heart. We are told not to complain, not to be critical or find fault with the challenges that come our way. When we do, we find ourselves being grounded by God, Yes, grounded! He allows us to stay in the situation we’re complaining about until our attitude changes. We find ourselves grounded until we learn to speak words of life and display the attitude of thankfulness He expects.
God is a Father that backs up His words. The Israelites had a three-day journey ahead of them. They were barely into their journey when they started complaining. You might say He grounded them immediately. They stayed in the wilderness for forty years because they kept complaining. He won’t grant us the privilege of having our freedom to move on until we obey His instructions.
We have to seek God and have the help of the Holy Spirit if we are going to manifest a spirit of sweetness and take control over the spirit of bitterness during our wilderness experiences of being grounded. It is Satan’s desire that bitterness be sown in a time of discipline and instruction so the struggle will continue.
Proverbs 21:23 teaches us that, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles,” (NKJV). We are responsible for the words we choose to speak. If we want God to remove His corrective restrictions we must live by the rules He has established for His family, the family of God.
