Matching words and life with thoughts

In chatting with one of our sons, I shared the difficulty of selecting who to vote for in a coming civic election. If only I could know the heart of each candidate. 

This morning I’m thinking how important it is to know my own heart, to pay attention to what is important to me, and to make sure what I do and say comes from a pure heart. 

Jesus said much about the heart. Of His own, He described it: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) Of mine He says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) 

Speaking to many, a warning to those who reject Him He says:

You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34–37)

When I think about anything, it is apt to show up in words. I know that everyone is not like that. Some say what they think is ‘proper’ or will be accepted or of interest to others, but it may not match what is on the inside. I’ve done this too. Who has not been asked how they look and been told, “Just fine” when the speaker is thinking otherwise?

Jesus says that in the final judgment, people will be judged by their words, yet He also says words come from the heart. That does not exonerate those who speak one thing and think another. Judgment isn’t about ‘correct’ speech but about integrity. If words do not match the heart, that is just as dangerous as those who curse and swear all the time. Jesus also said: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." (Matthew 15:8)

He knows and I know too that “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person…” (Matthew 15:19–20) He gets specific with: “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

On the positive side, the Word of God says to those wanting to be a person of integrity, there is peace of mind when our hearts focus on good things:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8–9)
The bottom line is even more desirable than that peace because Jesus also said: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

PRAY: In that last line, I’m thinking this is not only about a future vision of You when I cross over to my eternal home. (See 1 John 3:1-3) It seems to hold out a reality that the purer my heart and mind, the more You are in the realm of my inner vision. I cannot see You in a literal sense, yet the sense of Your presence is stronger and more vivid when my heart is not cluttered up with the things of this life, and certainly not with sinful and ‘stinkin’ thinking. Fill me with thoughts of You and give me words that honor You!
 

Like a child? Or childish?

We know a family from another culture and another part of this world who have become close friends, even calling us by family names. They are Christians who have been persecuted and learned to deeply trust God for everything. In their faith, they are transparent with us, like children in their attitude and joy. Sadly, some people think that because of that child-like trust and simple joy, this family has a low IQ and are unable to make good choices.

Christ said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.” (Matthew 18:3–5)

That attitude of a child is not about how much they know or how dependent the child is on adults to take care of them. It is about trust, receptivity, being eager to listen and obey, about being open, being who they are without putting on a false layer to cover up their sense of inadequacy.

Think about the result of a child of loving parents getting the idea that his parents would not give him food and clothing unless he earned them in some way. This is part of what Jesus meant. Children of God are to remain trusting, not spoil their sweet relationship with God by thinking they must work for spiritual blessings. The NT describes this:

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. (Galatians 5:4)

This could be illustrated by one person who also knows the first family I described. When I mentioned the mature godliness I saw, he described it as “childish” in critical terms, rather than “child-like” as a virtue. Later, that same person expressed that applying Scripture is paramount rather than first interpreting it properly. He is heavy into ‘doing’ without first seeking what God wants. He seems to be always tired and without deep joy.

Without knowing the human heart, I cannot say what goes on in this critic’s mind. He doesn’t seem to think Jesus is a “hard man” like the one He describes in Matthew 25:24, yet without the transparency of a child, who can know what drives him or others like him who dismiss the ‘children’ of God as naive and in need of much guidance.

Another characteristic of those who deeply trust Christ like a child is that they have realized the truth Jesus describes here:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

Jesus would not have to say this if so many people, Christians included, have not bowed their necks to the yoke of Christ as to a yoke of bondage. They read these verses as if they are a fairy tale. Sometimes when a Christian is in bondage and then finds true liberty, they think there is something wrong about their experience.

I get that. The liberty of transparency and total trust at times has made me feel like I should be ‘doing something’ or be more burdened for the messes and the needy people that I have prayed for. Then God reminds me that He will tell me what to do and when to do it. As for my thoughts, He says this to show me how He wants me to think:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8–9)

PRAY: Jesus, there are times for being burdened about the ugly stuff, for thinking about needy folks and doing what I can for them, but I’m not to be driven by a sense of duty, only by what You reveal to me and speak about directly to me. I’m also not to care if others think I’m naive or childish. They simply do not realize the freedom for which You have set me free. Forgive them and even better, show them what it is like to be Your child.

 

God is pure . . .

 

In our world, purity is rare. Pure entertainment is mixed with obvious and hidden messages. Pure peanut butter has salt in it. Pure beauty has flaws. Pure lives don’t happen. But then there is God.

In the OT, the noun translated PURE refers to holiness, belonging to the sphere of the sacred and distinct from the common or profane. This word describes the nature of God and while it usually refers to ritual and worship and to that which is set apart or consecrated to God, it is also about God who is pure and holy . . .  

Exodus 15:11. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”

1 Chronicles 16:10. “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!”

Psalm 89:35. “Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David.”

From these few verses, I can see that purity is not only distinctive but worthy of worship. A pure heart also loves people and speaks the truth.

In the NT, this word is usually about humans and often refers to sexual purity. However it is also used for keeping myself fully devoted to Jesus Christ in every area of my life. I am warned about deception just as Paul warned the Christians at Corinth. They were not walking in the Spirit and had gotten themselves in all sorts of trouble because of it. He said to them:

2 Corinthians 11:3. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Again, purity is about sincerity and unmixed devotion. It is never mixed with selfishness or ulterior motives or deception. This is what God is like and He wants the same for me:

1 Peter 1:15–16. As he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

I’ve noted this godly purity is asked of me as an older woman and part of what I’m to demonstrate and teach younger women. Titus 2:4–5 tells me to, “train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” This is far-reaching in that the reputation of God’s Word is undamaged when His female followers demonstrate holy lives!

Another passage also focuses on purity as an important witness to a spouse who is disobedient to God. 1 Peter 3:1–2 says to wives, “be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.”

How is this god-like purity possible? It certainly must begin and be rooted in the way I think. Philippians 4:8–9 tells me, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” The clear message is that pure thoughts are vital in the practice of living a pure life.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. Would I ever think of God as impure, that His motives were mixed or corrupt, or selfish? No way! When I focus on His purity, holiness and promises, He says this will help me become more like Him. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” Also, 1 John 3:3, after reminding me that when I eventually see Him as He is in glory and that I will be like Him, He also says, “everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.” My destiny is to be like Jesus, pure and holy. I need to keep gazing at Him!