Spiritual Halitosis

We've all been there. Staring into the face of bad breath, and no way to escape. Amidst the stench are words, but we can't hear them. Our thoughts are of self preservation. How can we remove ourselves from the foul one without causing a scene. We start to turn our faces away. We may even re-posture ourselves to face another direction or feign a nose itch in an attempt to guard ourselves. When none of these methods are successful, we look for an exit. Someone else to talk to or somewhere we need to go. We are so appalled by bad breath. It must mean the offender has poor hygiene. Yet, we hardly notice our own stench.

Spiritual Halitosis plagues Christians and churches everywhere. And, the consequences of this disease are much more dire than it's physical alternate. Confrontation, disagreement, comparisons, labeling, and power struggles within a church are often found at the root of the problem. We spew our venom and lash out, because we feel we have been wronged or that our opinions are of little value. Yet, we wonder why people don't hear our words and posture themselves away from us. Much of the time, we are unaware of our offensiveness. But our lack of spiritual hygiene does not go unnoticed. It hangs in the air, a reminder of our smallness. Many of our friends have grown so accustomed to our venom, they hardly notice it anymore. Just like a smoky room, we get used to it, but, over time, our eyes start to burn. So what do we do? No one wants to have bad breath!

Fortunately, there is a cure for spiritual halitosis, and it doesn't require a trip to the dentist. In Genesis 2:7, God breathes into man the breath of life. The very essence of himself, for we are created in His image. After the resurrection of Jesus, he appears to his disciples. John 20:21-22 says this,

“Jesus therefore said to them again, 'Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And after He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'” (NAS)

Can you imagine the sweetness of the breath of Christ? He offers His breath to us too! We don't need a stick of gum or a mento. We simply need to breathe Him in. When we fail to do this, our venom returns again and again. Think about your breath today. Are your words worth hearing? Does venom spew from your mouth, or sweet nectar drip from your lips? Turn down the gum, and accept the breath of life!