Everything in Love

It seems like I've had a lot of free time on my hands lately, school hasn't started back up for me yet. With all the craziness of Christmas and New Years gone, I decided it would be a good time to start a blog post. But let me start by saying that God put something on my heart this year for a New Years Resolution, and that is to spend more time with him each day. I want to read my bible daily and spend more time in worship and in prayer. So far, I'm actually doing pretty well. My goal is to do just as well when school resumes.

With all of this free time came some to spend on the computer. So tonight I logged in to Project Inspired. If you're a girl that hasn't heard of this website yet, go check it out! It's a wonderful place for teen girls to find advice of all kinds. There's also a lot of beauty and fashion related stuff on there too.

After logging in to the chat room, we began talking. About a lot of things at first. Nothing really in particular. Then the topic of cussing came up. So we all just began sharing our opinions.

If you know me, you know I usually have a lot to say, especially if its something spiritual or somehow faith related. So I just started sharing what was on my heart.

When it comes to cussing, to me, you have three categories.
1) Your "swear" words. Yup. I'm talking your F-bombs and all that stuff. Stuff people consider the "bad" words.
2) Your Euphemisms. You know, instead of saying the actual "bad" word, you're saying "Fricken" or "Freaking" "Gosh Dangit"  "Dang."
3) And lastly, your "Careless" words. When I brought this up, many of the girls were confused and asked what I meant. So, I shared this verse:

"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:36-37).

Basically, what this verse is talking about are idle words. Words spoken that have no purpose, or have little thought behind them as to whether or not they are helping anyone, or glorifying God.

Then, another Project Inspired user shared this verse and brought something to my attention:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

No matter what we do, or say, if it's not done or said in love, it's all in vain.

About a year ago, I was being asked by my mom to do something that I really didn't want to do. And yes, she did have to ask me twice. When she asked me the second time, she also warned me that I would be punished if I didn't do what she said. So I started to do what she told me to do, but only because I didn't want to be punished for not doing it. Then, God spoke to my heart and brought this verse to my attention. I decided to examine my heart and change my attitude and motives. So instead of doing it in fear of being punished, I did it because I loved my mom and I wanted to obey her.

So, friends, let this encourage you to examine your heart and be more careful about what you say and do. No matter what it is, if love is not our motivation, then we're doing it for the wrong reasons.

Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14