Drop it like it’s hot!
Rev. Stewart Speaks!
Ink Spot Contributing Writer
Drop it like it’s hot! Now, hear me out…it’s not what you think, or is it? I recall times during my childhood when I would grab a hot cup of tea and sip it without first considering how hot it was. Two instances come to my mind. The first is when I grabbed my grandmother’s mug, sipping the tea and dropping it because it was so hot! In the second instance, I remember once taking a big gulp of tea and scalding my tongue. I remember running to the freezer and sticking my tongue inside seeking relief. Unfortunately, that relief turned to more pain as my tongue got stuck, literally. I cannot recall what liquid was used by my parents to “defrost”/ unstick my tongue, but it was at that moment that I understood science in a better way.
Speaking of the tongue, James 3:6 NIV says, “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” The tongue is small but mighty. Many of us struggle with our tongue. We don’t realize the power we possess. Just a few verses below verse 6 we find the text of James 3:9-10 stating, “with the tongue we praise our lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness, out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
As you can gather form the verses, we as believers have a choice. Instead of cursing someone and wishing evil toward them, we can choose to bless them. The mark of the believer with a spirit-led life often leads us to make decisions contrary to our fleshly desires. The Bible tells us in verses like Colossians 3: 5-6 to “Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.”
As believers, we have the responsibility to mortify the deeds and works of our flesh. In other words, it would do us good to drop those bad habits and evil desires “like it’s hot”. “Dropping it like it’s hot” can be a painful process. Just as the tea cup dropped and caused me pain. The pain was an indication that I had encountered something that needed to be let go of. May I propose that the process of letting go of bad habits or “dropping it like it’s hot” may be painful. It may require some separation from people or places that we love in order to be in proper alignment with God. It may also lead to isolation and separation from friends as we make difficult decisions like 2 Corinthians 6:17 suggests. It suggests that we “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” There is a blessing in our obedience. What I love about this text is that we see a clear reward for our decision. The reward is being received by the Lord. This particular scripture references lepers in society being those who should be avoided for fear of believers being tainted for touching them.
Following Christ and his ways takes a commitment. One must love the Lord with all of their being. They must also put away their own desires for the sake of the gospel. The responsibility of the believer is great, and many profess with their mouths that they believe, but their actions say otherwise. My prayer for you, as I also pray for myself, is for God to give us all wisdom and discernment as we make difficult decisions pertaining to godliness and a holy life fit to be used by God. God has a plan for each of us, but we must heed his voice and obey. On this week, I challenge you to tell someone of their responsibility as a believer to lay aside worldly desires and to in other words “drop it like it’s hot”. Be blessed.