I
am currently taking an American Literature class…. not because I want to of
course. It’s to finish my degree (BA in
Biblical Studies). Yay me! No… shame on me! I put this last class off so long that if I
don’t finish it this semester, I will have to take several more English classes
to meet the current requirement. My
college is consolidating with another college.
Boo!
I
have found that balancing everything along with school can be difficult at
times. I have to prioritize time to read
and then time to complete my assignments.
One of our newest assignments for the semester is creating and posting
on a Blog about literature. This was my
recent post. I hope you enjoy it!
I
read a book recently for class called “Red
Badge of Courage” by Stephen Crane. It was about a young man, named Henry, who
enlisted for war and the journey he took in becoming a man. At the beginning of the story he is very
naïve to war and its devastation. At one
point he even retreats leaving his comrades on their own to defend their
honor.
I
noticed as the story continued that Henry’s heart started to change. It hardened.
It filled with anger and rage. It
seemed poisoned by its surroundings and circumstances. It became so toxic that others started to notice. “Are
you okay, Henry?” One of his closest
friends was concerned. When Henry
retreated, it wasn’t just a physical event.
He retreated in his heart as well.
The guilt overwhelmed him. Roots
were growing inside of him. Roots of
resentment, anger, un-forgiveness, and hatred were taking over his heart and
making it toxic.
Have
you ever met someone with a toxic heart?
The circumstances or surroundings of their life had poisoned them. Bad things happen, unfortunate events sweep
in and shake us to the core of our being, and things happen that are beyond our
control. Life is messy and
unpredictable. But in the midst of the
chaos, we have a choice. We can keep
moving forward or retreat. The choice is
ours. When we begin to retreat we open
the door up for our hearts to become polluted and filled with toxin.
Toxic
can be defined as…
Poisonous, harmful or deadly, capable of causing injury or death
In reading
the definition of toxic, we see that long term this can be deadly and it’s
dangerous to allow the fruit of a toxic heart to linger in our lives. It’s got to go!
A
toxic heart can be recognized by the words that come out of its mouth. Henry had a religious background. His mom had strong convictions. It says in the book that, “She had had certain ways of expression that told him that her statements
on the subject came from deep conviction” (
I
have heard a scripture in the Bible before that helps clarify this point.
Luke
What comes
out of our mouths helps others see what is in our hearts! Interesting… I don’t
know about you, but I have good and bad days when it comes to what comes out of
my mouth. I don’t know that this
scripture is speaking of our off days, but what is deep down inside of us on a
daily basis. It’s what is at the core of
who we are.
I
am honest enough to say I have suffered from a toxic heart before. I have allowed offenses by others and the
circumstances of life to pollute my heart.
It consumed me, polluted my speech, and changed my personality. Poison spewed from my mouth as I spoke
splattering on those around me. I was becoming
the very thing I detested. It was only
with God’s help that I was able to be free.
I have a
question for you. It’s a personal
one. Do you have any destructive roots
growing in your heart? Could your heart
be toxic? What is the flavor of your
conversation when you speak? Is it sweet
or sour? Living with a toxic heart is
dangerous. I encourage you to ask a
friend or family member today if they have noticed any changes in you
lately. The ability to be free from this
is entirely up to you. I dare you to
choose freedom today!
Living to
leave a legacy,
Julie 
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