There is an internet meme that goes something like,

Your boos mean nothing; I’ve seen what makes you cheer.

At the end of Paul’s description of the downfall of humanity in Romans 1, his final summary describes the tragic mess the world has become in this way:

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God,

The final mark of the world’s wickedness is not only that they practice these wicked things, but also that they give approval to those who practice them. You see, the things we approve—the things we cheer for—say a lot about us. The things we cheer for tell us where our heart is. We cheer for the things we value, celebrate, and desire.

I have taught the book of Romans many times over the years, and this last line of chapter 1 has always bothered me. This passage forces me to look at the things that make me laugh and that entertain me. Everyone puts on a good show, myself included, but what we cheer for is a window into our hearts and our deepest, darkest desires. When we laugh or cheer spontaneously, our reason is bypassed, revealing the things that we often hide in our more guarded moments.

In the unguarded moments of everyday life, I find myself laughing at things that, when I really think about them, are not funny at all. When I examine them more closely, I realize that they are the products of the very things that are destroying this world. Pride, greed, resentment, lust of all kinds, and even vengeance play around under the things we laugh at and sometimes seriously support. When I support such things, I am no longer laughing or agreeing from a safe distance; I am becoming a part of the problems I claim to hate. What I approve of is what I am and what I am becoming.

This can quickly become depressing. What are we to do with these desires that are constantly pulling us into the dumpster fire that is this present world? Recognizing our failures is always the first step. This is why the Church has historically held confession as a primary aspect of worship. But simply confessing our failures does not bring about change. If all we do is admit how bad we are every day or every week, we gain very little. We need something we do not have by nature. We need the grace of God.

David understood this a thousand years before Jesus was born. Let’s join with him in his song of prayer from psalm 51.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

This week, let’s examine what we really love and support. Let’s look at what makes us laugh and what makes us cry. And let’s go to God for the grace that only He can give. Grace to change our hearts. Grace to love what He loves and hate what He hates. And let’s encourage each other in ways we never have to be ashamed of. God is so good to us, and His grace is new every morning.

Have a great week—together!