Go... Sip Away!

You want to know what I love? Before you get too cutesy with your guesses, I'll just tell you. I love pop... or soda... or Coke... or whatever your location of America calls this bubbly, syrupy and tasty beverage. It is so freaking good! Just one sip and you can't stop. The way it feels as it crosses your tongue... it's magical! I am not kidding you; there have been moments in my life where a can of Mt. Dew has felt like I gift from the heavens. Just listen a freshly poured soda. It sounds like applause.

Yaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!! The crowd goes wild!

But despite what the more academically accomplished cousin of Mr. Pibb will tell you, soda is NOT what the doctor ordered. Soda is bad. It is so bad for you. It messes up your teeth and it's loaded with calories, sugar and chemicals. It's basically liquefied candy that somehow became socially acceptable to drink with meals.

Remember! This is not a health blog. This news about soda makes me very sad and even a bit angry.  How could something so good be so bad?! Yet even though I know how horrible this nectar of the gods may be... I keep sipping. I sip and I sip again. And then I get a refill. At least with beer you start to feel a little full after a while. With pop, a 32 oz cup can be considered a MEDIUM! Somehow you can just keep sipping.

... saddest picture I've ever posted. I'M SORRY, MT. DEW!!! 

On a related note (because I just love these spiritual parallels), I have also noticed how much I love to run my mouth. Doesn't it feel so good to start sentences with "Did you hear about..." or "Don't tell him I told you this but..." Then you get to bubble over with juicy details.

My words about other people taste even sweeter when I have been hurt by them. I get to say, "I can't believe he said..." or  "These people really need to...." Mmm Mmm Mmm! I just love the way the words feel across my tongue. I revel in declaring my judgments behind backs that I would never have the courage to say to faces.

"He said whaaaat???"

Well, we have another problem here. Guess what? ... Gossip and slander fall into that whole "sin" category, which is not good for you or anyone. Its damaging and toxic.

And aren't we hilarious? We Christian types love to rename our carbonated utterances as "venting" or "healthy honesty". It's kind of like how we slap "Diet" on the side of a can and believe it is somehow good for us. There may be a time and place for venting, but that should be with somebody who is trustworthy, wise and won't agree with us all the time.

The real problem is that these words and condemnations can actually poison us. Jesus even says, "It's not what goes into the mouth, but what comes out that makes one clean or unclean." He knew how these "diet ventings" show the character of our hearts, impact our communities and shape our lives. "Don't be dull!" (Matt 15:16). We need to quit this stuff and we need to quit it fast.

But it's not going to be easy. How do you not take a sip when you have 42 ounces of the juicy stuff right there in your hand? Well... come on down to Wallace's Pub, grab a beer and lets start by talking about it. Maybe we'll discover that this kind of constructive chatter is actually refreshing and won't leave you with a weird taste in your mouth.

Hear! Hear!