Behave

I’ve heard that word many times over the years directed at me. I’ve used that word with my children over the years as well. It’s meant to be a directive regarding my actions and activities. I must confess that I’ve ignored that directive a few times.

A few years ago, when studying God’s Word, it became clear that I can’t “behave” my way into heaven. Don’t mishear me – I’m not giving myself permission to do whatever I want and still call myself a Christ follower. I simply came to a new understanding about where my behavior comes from. Jesus spoke it clearly, but I didn’t comprehend it until a few years back. Check this out….

¹⁰ Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. ¹¹ It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

¹⁷ “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. ¹⁸ But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. ¹⁹ For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. ²⁰ These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” (Matthew 15:10-11, 17-20 NLT)

Jesus blew the minds of His followers as well as the religious leaders. He dismantled an age-old tradition about hand washing. I know people today who care way more about the image they project that their heart where their true behavior comes from.

Behavior follows heart – it always has and always will. If I want to “behave”, then I start with my heart. All behavior is simply a reflection of what is going on deep in my heart. I am embarrassed about what the Lord sees there quite often. I have a ton of heart work to do so that my every day, walking around behavior honors Him.

Here’s my heart Lord by Casting Crowns.

Pressing On!

Dwayne