Word is Out

I received a humorous email from a friend that made me to laugh so hard, it brought me to tears. So I sent the story to my brother-in-law and my two adult boys. My youngest son replied, “What’s this?” Deep inside, there was a still small voice telling me that something was wrong. You see, the humorous story had one crude remark. The story was quite harmless, but my youngest son was letting me know that he had higher expectations for me. So I drowned out the voice of conviction. And besides, most of my family had been prodding me for years to lighten up. But then I received an email from my sister-in-law who had read the story before her husband. She wrote simply, “Great story, pastor Hamby.” Obviously she did not approve. But still, I wasn’t willing to let her rule my conscience; the story was no big deal, and besides, her husband would get a good laugh. Then I received another letter, not an email, from a man named Paul. He was writing to a group of believers who had not understood the cancerous effects of crude joking. This is what he wrote: Let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. God had convicted me and I realized that he was calling me to repentance and holiness. The world wants us to join in on the superficial fun that robs us of the eternal joy that comes through having a pure heart, for, you see, it is the pure in heart that shall see God, and see the incredible life he planned for us!