A few years ago, I discovered I’m sensitive to shellfish. Not allergic, as in hives and wheezing. Instead, I get violently ill. I remember the night well. Because of a few incidents I’d had with shrimp in the past I suspected I might have an issue. But when that big, delicious lobster was put in front of me, I couldn’t resist. I managed to eat the whole thing before my body revolted. I’ll spare you the gory details.
Jesus once said, “Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” After that fateful lobster dinner and the adventure that followed, I’m not so sure. I know I felt defiled. But I’m pretty sure that isn’t what Jesus had in mind.
We live in a time when it’s easy to send all kinds of messages out into the world. Some people use social media to bring light and love into the world. But there will always be a temptation to score points on one’s perceived enemies and to send out a stream of negativity and bitterness into the world. Rise above it. Resist it! Jesus calls us to something better.