Once upon a time in a land far far away, lay a land where the sun alway shone. Where it only rained just the right amount to water the plants and keep the grass, trees and exceptional flowers blooming lived a peculiar race of people.
There were shops and market squares where people sold their merchandise. Schools and bastions of education to impart knowledge to the future generations.
Walking into the market square it was not immediately obvious there was a problem with the people’s breath! In this beautiful place something was terribly out of place!
I walked over to purchase a cup of coffee and a slice of zingy flavor filled lemon pound cake and sat down to watch the parade of humanity on display all around. A facininating hobby of mine.
I could hear the teenagers before I ever saw them, they had some kind of wrap music playing on their IPod. There were four of them two girls and two boys, talking very loudly so they could hear each other over the music, but so could everyone else. Capturing my attention I focused on them lazily listening in. Suddenly I was no longer relaxed in my seat, the music singer blared out, “I’m going to … (bleep bleep) kill you, then I’m going to kill myself”. At the same I became aware of smell rather like rotten eggs permeating the air around these four young people. People were staring at them, making them feel very cool but for the wrong reasons. I could not believe my ears, what in the world was going on here? Young people should have everything to live for, especially in such a lovely place!
Now my coffee lost its taste and the bad smell continued to linger, like a burnt saucepan that had contained eggs to be boiled and forgotten about and left to boil dry. Hard to get rid of that smell! What had they been smoking I wondered? I got up and left my seat and wandered into the colorful market place. I love markets, the hustle and bustle, the colorful wares, the smell of fruit and veg, and cotton materials. The harangue of the sales person selling his wares all fill the senses with an exotic blend of creative art.
The narrow walkway was heaving with people, even so the kid was having a tantrum and his mother was swatting him across his head telling him he was no good and would turn out just like his good for nothing father. No wonder I thought quietly to myself. I wonder if she ever affirmed him, or encouraged him? Probably not. I get it, I really do! She herself was not affirmed or valued and did not know how to love herself never mind her children. She was busy, very busy! Most likely very poor too since women do not earn as much as men, and she had a family to feed and cloth. Desperate times I’m sure for this woman. She may not even have a job!
Standing still in the midst of a milling throng of people busy getting their daily jobs done, I became aware again of a rather unpleasant smell, as if there was problem with the drains. I slowly moved on, speed was not an option as the walkway was so jam packed. It seemed as though everywhere I went people were slagging each other off and finding it funny. Like a joke to insult your friends mother, or your family. Or their intelligence. Every other word seemed to be a swear word but no one seemed to notice, it had become normal for their communication it seemed. I always thought If one needs to swear to communicate, you should read, and grow your vocabulary, unless your illiterate and then you won’t be reading this? There are many choice words one can use without being vulgar.
So rather disconsolately I left the market place and decided to check into the sports club and take a sauna. In the men’s changing room, derogatory conversations ensued about wives, families, women and even colleagues including coarse jokes. No- one seemed happy or to have a bounce in their step. Ugggh I needed to get out of there ! Someone must have had an episode in the toilet! It stank! It seemed to be a day of bad smells.
Walking down the corridor to the sauna I passed the badminton court. Looking through the glass at the two players it seemed to me there was a fog around the players. Looking more closely I noticed from the players mouths trails of evil looking smoke floated out as they moved their mouths in conversation to each other. Ohhh, that’s not good I thought and moved on.
Sitting in the Sauna was another person who once I had sat down struck up an animated conversation. At first it seemed alright they were holding forth about their political views. As the conversation went on it seemed they slagged everyone off, from the president, politicians, jobs, people from different walks of life. They must have thought they knew everything so I asked them what they did? I work on computers. You don’t seem happy with your job? Which set off another tirade.
I have often observed that those who do nothing to help bring good change are often the most vociferous of others who are trying to help bring about. Why is that I wonder? It is as if pulling others down makes them feel better about themselves. Not a good strategy I suspect.
By now I realized this city had a big problem! It was not politics, religion, commerce or their relationships or education. It was a huge problem of the heart. Their hearts were dirty, hopeless, discolored by life and no-one it seemed had told them the answer to their major problem. There is a proverb, which is a wise saying that “OUT OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS.” Which means that what is inside of your thinking, your emotions, your knowledge, is what is going to come out of you in your speech.
Bad breath is occasionally helped by good oral hygene, but the I’m talking about what no dentist and amount of flossing and mouthwash can cover. It comes from deep within your guts. the pain, grief, anger, resentment, bitterness, rage, offense and so much more. It comes out you, visible only to those around you often making them back off from you. Like streams of dark smoke filling the atmosphere of your own heart and those around you.
This city needs to see a doctor I thought. The old fashioned sort who would say to you after you described your symptoms; “now stick out your tongue.” He would then take a wide wooden spatula press down your tongue and take a good look at the condition of it! I always wondered what they saw. Now I knew, slime, broken grooves, spotty parts, bad breath, tender areas where it was infected and so on. Then the doctor would prescribe the remedy.
The heart of the problem is the human heart. No-one can fix this, not politicians, teachers, gurus, religion, etc., There is only way to fix this problem. Take your sick heart to the best and only real heart doctor there is and he will fix it for you:
Who is this doctor and where do I find him?
He is Jesus Christ, who takes away the sins of the world and bring shealing to your wounded broken heart, soul and mind. Not only did he come into the world save it but to give it hope and a future. To give a fresh new start when the people come to him in their muck and grime, in their sin. Yes even when we are still sinners, which means doing and saying bad things, Jesus loves us and holds his arms out to us and says “come to me, have faith in me, give me your burdens and I will you rest and peace for your soul, for your heart. “He means business, he will do and accomplish all he has promised for you.
This is the only permanent solution for the bad breath which is what happens when our negative, judgemental, critical words come out of our unhappy wounded hearts. Our Words affect those around us and permeate the atmosphere, creating a bad environment for us to live in. Directing our lives down the drain. Words are creative and directional in their power amongst other things. Life and death are in the power of the tongue!
Dear people who read this, You can find hope, rest, peace and joy for yourself, but only through Jesus Christ. He said “I am the door, if you open the door of your heart to me, I will come in and dine with you.” Rev 3. He also said,” I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to God any other way except through me.” Johns gospel.
He is the only true way. Many try to find fixes for their condition through other false Gods and religions, but Jesus Christ is The Creator. Lord of Lords, King of Kings, above all else the supreme King over all past, present and future. He can be totally trusted with your heart. He is expert at putting mending broken hearts and making them better than before.
Bring your heart and consequently your mouth, your thoughts and words to the heart doctor – Jesus and have a new start. Make a good choice right now and bring your heart to Jesus, he will mend it and give you a new start, but only if your serious and do what his word tells you to. Salvation is un conditional but for your life to change that is conditional in that you trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
