Hope Fellowship Community Church

I was reading today and found an awesome passage. Proverbs 4:23-27

I think of the old song we sang in Sunday School so many years ago.

Oh be careful little eyes what you see...
Oh be careful little ears what you hear...
Oh be careful little tongue what you say...
Oh be careful little hands what you do...
Oh be careful little feet where you go...
Oh be careful little heart whom you trust...
Oh be careful little mind what you think...

That pretty much covers all the bases but isn't it just a kids song with no real application to our adult lives?

Check out this video from Casting Crowns: Slow Fade

When we make choices that compromise our integrity, that go against what we know is right, a part of our heart is hardened. Whether it is getting too much change back at the grocery store or telling that lie so that we don't stain our reputation, our heart feels those kinds of things and reacts or is desensitized to those acts. We slowly begin to accept those things as okay because we don't feel as guilty when we do them again.

"I am not as bad as __________."
"I am not hurting anyone."
"It's just a few dollars."

God does not "grade on the curve." If you will allow me to use that expression. God is concerned with our heart, our character, and our integrity. He is not concerned how it compares to the integrity of our neighbor or our pastor or our parents. He is looking at how you express your love to him and how you interact with and love his people.
Love God, love all. Comparing is a dangerous game because if I compare myself to the serial killer sitting on death row, I look pretty good. 

Guard your heart. Keep your focus on Jesus and don't be distracted by all the junk that is around us. Most of the time, we have the choice of what we put into our minds, where we go, and what we do. We make the choice to walk down the ice cream aisle. We make the choice to turn on that TV show. We make the choice to say those things about our neighbor. Our hearts are affected by each thing that we do.

How is your heart? Is it fading, crumbling? Are you making the choices that honor God? Are you making choices that build other people up? How can I live my life in a way that reflects the love that has been shown to me? How can I be all that God wants me to be?
Remember that "the Father up above is looking down in love..." He does not want to be the old man with the lightning bolt. He wants to be the loving Father that is proud of what his children do. He wants to be the one who says "well done."