Can I get a witness?

If you've known me for very long, you know that there's always something on my mind. There's something I'm excited about and I talk about it a lot. Whether it's kayaking or backpacking or hiking or house church or a band, I usually talk a lot about what I'm excited about.

I think that's our nature, whatever fills our mind and our heart is what will pour out of our mouth. When we're excited about something, we talk about it. When we're upset or bitter about something, we talk about it. We have this intense feeling inside of us and we desire to share that with others. We want others to experience the feeling about it that we are feeling. If you've just crashed down a river in a raft and you're really pumped about it, you start talking with everyone else about it because you want them to try it so they know what it feels like. The new movie or the new band, it touched your heart and you want others to experience that.

Sometimes it is good to take time to look at what it is that fills our mind, heart, and speech. What is it that pours out of you, and is that what you want to reflect from your life? What does it tell others about what is important to you? And where does Jesus fit into that? Do we even get excited about Jesus?

I have to admit that sometimes I get way off course in the things that fill my heart and mind. I'm the type of person that I don't just like something, I love it. I guess I'm actually a rather passionate person and when I fall in love with something, it can really take over and it pours out of my mouth constantly. I need to do a better job of guarding my heart, making sure to only allow in the things that I want to pour out of my life. It's ok to have hobbies, favorite bands, things you like. But I need to do better about only allowing into my heart the things that are important in my relationship with God and with the people He has placed in my life. If loving God and loving others is the command my life should be based on, I should use that as the filter for everything I allow into my heart. Everything else I should keep in it's proper place, as an external thing that can be used by what is driving my heart.

Remind me of this next time I get really excited about something, but you don't hear me excited about my Lord and Savior.