But I was just joking...(being reverent in behavior)

First off, I loved Stacey's post on Monday. As a person who finds it easy to make a list of do's and don'ts to not only judge myself by, but to judge others as well, it was definitely a good thing for me to read.

I've been a believer for almost 12 years now. I have heard this passage of Titus quoted and taught numerous times and I have always loved it. I've always loved it in the sense of thinking, "yeah, I wish some older woman would teach me all of these things." Then about three years ago, I was challenged to consider that perhaps I was an older woman that should first of all be living these things, and secondly be teaching them. To have the first directive be "reverent in behavior" is a real blow to any idea I may have that I can do any of the rest of the list on my own.

I am a super jokey, super sarcastic person. I was raised in a family, and my dad especially, who loved a good, cutting comment and witty comeback. I then married a man who is just as quick with a good zinger or a funny assessment of 'this person' or 'that situation'. I wasn't super pretty or a super athlete growing up, but I made my way in my circle of friends by being the one who could always make fun of other people and get people to laugh at someone besides myself.

My fight now as a Christian in this area is two-fold. The first is trying to put away my behaviors that cut down or belittle someone. Or to hold my tongue when all of the funny jokes are just bursting inside me. Or to think twice about what little ears are listening when I make a crack about something. The second is to not try to act a certain way because 'I am a Christian and that's not how Christians should act' but to be changed in order to bring honor to the Lord and to have a pure heart before Him - everything that Stacey wrote about on Monday.

I have learned that being 'reverent in behavior' for me is to think of others before myself on a continual basis. I should speak and act in a way that honors others above myself - honors their feelings and esteems them, not cuts them down. Sure, I still like to joke around about things, and a have a good laugh every now and again. But I walk such a fine line every day to guard what I say and how it might affect those around me. I am definitely, definitely still learning this lesson and mess up a lot - especially when it comes to Ed and I making fun of others or each other in the name of 'a good joke'. As important as it is for me to be reverent in my behavior in public, oh man, it is like 100 times more important for me to be reverent in my behavior in the home. My little comments about others or even about my husband can be very powerful in my husband's ear. Not to mention what my boys see as acceptable ways of talking about others. I want to be a positive influence in the opinions my husband and my boys have of others. By God's grace I'll get there.