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!
 

Wanting to share Christ?

 

The more I observe life and the activities of those who are Christian AND filled with the Holy Spirit, the more I’m convinced that the person who said “Share the gospel and sometimes use words” was on to something.

Consider this conversation between a Christian golfer and the person he was paired up with. That man said, “What’s your name?” introducing himself, the Christian said, “Phil Callaway,” and the man then asked, “Do you make the clubs?”

The Christian replied, “No, I pay people to do that” then quickly told him the truth. Then, when the conversation got past golf and the weather, it didn’t take long for the other man to  discover that Callaway was a Christian.

Then the other man said, “I’ve had awful experiences with Christians.” And Callaway responded with, “Really? Me, too.” He shared that this response opened the door for a lengthy discussion that had a positive and hopeful conclusion.

My husband tells of several golfers he’d never met or even talked to about his faith, but by the third or fourth hole, they apologized for taking the Lord’s name in vain.

The NT says: “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.” (Colossians 4:5) While this may include our words, it says “walk” not “talk” leaving me to think that if my life does not match the way God wants me to live, I’m wasting my time with words about trusting Jesus for forgiveness and a new life.

Not talking does not mean non-verbal stuff like the couple once spotted who wore jean jackets covered with “Jesus” buttons, literally covered. These two stood out, but not the way they thought. Callaway mentions pinning verses to our shirts or dropping Gospels of John on the fairway instead of taking every opportunity to live out our faith. 

Most of my examples are small. I once saw a small child in the foyer of a movie theatre holding a full cup of popcorn. Someone bumped her and her popcorn landed on the floor before she had taken one bite. She was crying. I didn’t know the child, but bought her a new popcorn. That was years ago, but Callaway’s story reminds me of it. I’m to let the Lord’s ‘first thought’ become action. It was not to rebuke the one who bumped her and then walk away with a “turn or burn’ scowl, but to show kindness to the upset child.

More recently, I took my purchases to a real person rather than use the noisy automatic checkout machines. I told her that I’d rather listen to her than a machine. She almost burst into tears and said, “That’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me all week.”

Some might say that the child nor the clerk knew that such actions come from the love of God, but they forget that the Holy Spirit has the ability to convey to others where kindness or any other obedient behavior comes from. My friends at this week’s birthday party did not need to spell it out or even need to say “God bless you” to make visible the extraordinary difference Christ has made in their lives. One of them, a non-Christian, told me how much she is blessed to hang out with those women. She is being drawn to the wonder of God’s goodness by the openness and integrity of their lives.

PRAY: The word that comes to mind is integrity. Jesus, my life and my words need to match. No mask. No pretense. No attitude of ‘holier than thou’ or efforts to look like a Christian (whatever that means), but just being who I am… warts and all, and letting You use me as You will. When I sing ‘just as I am’ that is what the words convey from my side of things, and You are amazing in how You use integrity to convey Your love and Your truths to others.