QUESTION #14
Are our lives filled with lightness and frivolity? Is our conduct unseemly? Would the world by our actions consider us on its side?

On my 15th birthday, I was taken by some upper classmates to celebrate my birthday “in style”. They purchased some items such as a 7up bottle, a watermelon, and some canned dough to make rolls. They proceeded to climb to the top of a parking garage and throw these items off the edge and onto the pavement walkway below….! Yes, I realize this was vandalism and no I didn’t know Jesus at the time, nor did these people. While it seemed in that moment to be a thrill and fun, I had never done anything like that before and felt so bad. So much for celebrating my 15th birthday!

I share this story because I’ve heard my fair share of frivolous jokes and pranks made by Christians that often don’t vary too far from this story. It may seem funny in the moment and not harmful, but the truth is that we certainly could be hurting someone by our actions and we are definitely ruining our witness. I’m not saying that we can’t have fun and laugh with people, but when our posture is to not take into the consideration the feelings of others it’s not pleasing to Jesus.

What’s the worst is that a frivolous heart can’t take the things of God seriously. If we want a tender heart we can’t take our Lord lightly. If we treat our walk with Him as insignificant, we won’t truly known Him and thus miss out on what He desires to give to us.

APPLICATION:
1. Do we take the Word of God seriously? What in our lives proves this to be true?

2. Do we laugh at things that don’t honor God and His heart? Are we entertaining ourselves with things that heaven is not laughing or entertaining?

SCRIPTURES:

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:8 NKJV)

neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (Ephesians 5:4 NKJV)