Jesus speaks of the words and ideas we accumulate in our hearts as treasures. Whichever treasure is dominant in our hearts, be it evil or good, will make its way out of our hearts, through our mouths and into the world revealing exactly what kind of treasure we’re accumulating.
Without the active intervention of my will, the types of things my heart most easily treasures are funny quotes. More specifically, funny quotes that have double meanings. Even more specifically, double meanings that are often far from innocent in nature.
I find a show like The Office very appealing to my treasure-seeking senses. At the same time, I know that when I watch it I am storing up the wrong kind of treasure in my heart and that this treasure will work its way out of my heart, revealing to those around me exactly what I’m storing up in there.
Dropping “That’s what she said…” into a conversation at opportune times – of which there seem to be an abundance – is hilarious, yes, but what does it reveal about what I’m storing up in my heart? In Matthew 12:34 Jesus says that the mouth finds things to say out of what is most dominant or most treasured in our hearts. Sometimes the dominant treasure in my heart is all too easy to see.
It’s almost like my brain has a checklist it goes through before responding to a statement or question:
* First Option: Is there even a remote chance that replying, “That’s what she said…” will make sense as a reply and turn an innocent statement or question into an opportunity for a laugh? If yes, reply. If no…
* Second Option: Can I reply with something else that will get a laugh? If yes, reply. If no…
* Third Option: Answer the person’s question or statement directly.
That’s really quite pitiful and reveals more about my heart than I wanted to know. Chances are you haven’t heard me reply to a question this way because I only really do it when conversing with another person I know is familiar with The Office and is in on the “That’s what she said…” game.
But this is one of the many ways scripture serves us: written thousands of years ago, it comforts us in current afflictions, gives light to current events, and yes it even convicts us about current TV shows that it would probably be better for our souls not to watch.
Read Matthew 12:33-37 and tell me what it says to you. These words from that passage are ringing very loudly in my ears right now: “On the day of judgment people will give account of every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
“That’s what He said…” and it should probably scare us a little bit.
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“That’s what she said…”
Without the active intervention of my will, the types of things my heart most easily treasures are funny quotes. More specifically, funny quotes that have double meanings. Even more specifically, double meanings that are often far from innocent in nature.
I find a show like The Office very appealing to my treasure-seeking senses. At the same time, I know that when I watch it I am storing up the wrong kind of treasure in my heart and that this treasure will work its way out of my heart, revealing to those around me exactly what I’m storing up in there.
It’s almost like my brain has a checklist it goes through before responding to a statement or question:
* First Option: Is there even a remote chance that replying, “That’s what she said…” will make sense as a reply and turn an innocent statement or question into an opportunity for a laugh? If yes, reply. If no…
* Second Option: Can I reply with something else that will get a laugh? If yes, reply. If no…
* Third Option: Answer the person’s question or statement directly.
That’s really quite pitiful and reveals more about my heart than I wanted to know. Chances are you haven’t heard me reply to a question this way because I only really do it when conversing with another person I know is familiar with The Office and is in on the “That’s what she said…” game.
Read Matthew 12:33-37 and tell me what it says to you. These words from that passage are ringing very loudly in my ears right now: “On the day of judgment people will give account of every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
“That’s what He said…” and it should probably scare us a little bit.
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Posted in: Media, Quotes and Comments, Television.