Inside Out

When I say that faith is a "heart" rather than a "head" thing, what does that mean to you?  Which one sounds better than the other, just right off the top of your head.  What's the difference between the two?  

Here's the thing, what you tell yourself about yourself matters far less than how you act.  You can tell yourself (and others) that you are a "good person," but if you live unethically and selfishly, and exhibit hatred, judgment, prejudice, and anger throughout your life---you're actions speak much louder than anything you might be saying. 

Lots of people call themselves Christians and claim to have experienced transformation--the kind of transformation that we've been discussing this week.  But their lives, their actions, the way they conduct themselves show very little evidence that anything about them has changed.  

I know I struggle with this, too.  I have really good intentions to live congruently--to make my outside match my inside---but I often find myself living in ways that don't line up with what I say I believe.  

I quoted another preacher earlier this week when I said, being religious might make you nice, but it won't make you new.  But more often than not being religious doesn't make you nice either.  Some of the angriest, most combative, rigid and selfish people I have ever known are religious.  

Jesus rebuked the religious people of his day with these words:  

25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

May you strive today to live a congruent faith, a faith balanced between head and heart---this is a faith worth having.  May you find moments today to live out this congruent, balanced faith where your inside matches your outside. 

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. Amen.