A Clown Question?

Proverbs 4 speaks to the power of words and how they can affect our hearts:
20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.   The words we speak, those we listen to, and the ones we view, can have a profound impact on our own personal lives and the lives of others.   If we are absorbing affirming, positive words consistent with god's Word, then it affects the trajectory of our lives and the very atmosphere around us.   But, if we are negative, discouraging, and complaining, we create the opposite atmosphere.   So, we can be challenged to allow the Word of God and words that are consistent with His principles to affect our hearts and to speak in a manner that brings glory to Him.
1st Corinthians chapter 2 says:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory...


It is remarkable how phrases make their way into our collective consciousness through dissemination through media.   Often, it's lines like "Where's the beef?" or "Have it your way" that stick around for a while.  And, sometimes expressions like, "I know, right?" get stuck in our brains - admittedly, I have trouble figuring that one out.

Well, we seem to have another one of those cultural colloquialisms - "That's a clown question, bro".  These were words spoken by Washington Nationals phenom Bryce Harper in response to a question by a Canadian reporter regarding whether or not the player would have a drink in order to celebrate a home run.   More on that in a moment...

This is a phrase that has now begun to pop up in a variety of places.   Online video producers have begun to dub the line into their productions.   Some political correspondents have suggested that the President use it in a press conference.   And, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid even used it this week.   You can even buy t-shirts with the phrase.

A point or two:
First of all, Bryce Harper may have really not appreciated the question.   Dan Gilgoff of the CNN Belief Blog brought out the fact that Harper is a Mormon, and that alcohol use is against the teachings of the church.   The reporter may not have known that, and probably should have, but if he did and asked the question recently, it continues to support our friend Dan Gainor's contention that many in the media are "foreign correspondents" when it comes to matters of faith.   And, we could use some conviction about the subject of alcohol, which, the last time I looked, is a controlled substance and contributes to addiction, broken families, and the unraveling of lives.   And, in a day where governmental leaders are concerned about the endorsement of religion, we are seeing that, in the name of economic development, authorities routinely endorse alcohol use.   So, learning about the backstory of the phrase unveils a faith element.

And, we also see the power of a phrase.   We are devoted to broadcasting God's Word here at Faith Radio, and we know that often, you'll catch hold of a nugget of truth, and that can provide inspiration and power for us throughout the day.   It could even change a life.   That's why Scripture memorization and meditation are important - just applying a phrase or verse to memory and thinking about its implication for our lives can provide a tool for spiritual growth.    I'm seeing a greater number of short phrases or sayings posted in social media, perhaps in the form of a graphic or the proverbial 140-character Tweet.   Words contain power, they can build up, instruct, heal, and more.   God is speaking words of life to us - can we absorb and apply?   And that's NOT a "clown question".