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- Written by: Don Goulding
The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart. (Luke 6:45)
Aunt Mildred’s Alzheimer’s disease progressed to the point where she chattered one disjointed sentence after another. They were random clippings from a scrapbook of sunny thoughts.
“Oh look, Dear, isn’t that a lovely flower? I just love this teacup. Goodness me, I have failed to introduce you to my dolly, Roxanne.”
While her conversation had no connection with present reality, it was enchanting nevertheless. She spoke from a lifetime of disciplined cheerfulness.
The mind is a camera and the heart a scrapbook. In my thoughts I process a great many photos, most of which are tossed into the bin of forgetfulness. First, the mind looks at each photo and pastes the eventful ones into its scrapbook. I become what my heart has saved. But the heart can only work with what the mind photographs.
I could let my mind dwell on past offenses against me, but if I do, my heart will scrapbook bitterness into my soul. Do I want the core of my being to be anger, or lust, or greed, or any other poison? Is that what I want to spill out when I’m old and, like Aunt Mildred, my mind is no longer there to censor my words?
The only way to obtain the innocent heart of a child is to keep the lens of my mind focused on the character of Jesus. As I do that year after year, eventually, “whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy,” (Philippians 4:8) is what will fill my heart, and spill from my mouth.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me replace every dark idea with thoughts of you.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
SCUBA divers know them as cleaning stations. They’re locations on the reef where cleaner shrimp live. Fish stop, open their mouths, and the shrimp hops inside to clean their teeth. I watched my dive guide remove his regulator and open his mouth. The little shrimp worked on his teeth with a featherlight touch. The guide exhaled bubbles and the shrimp jumped back to the rock.
This is another of nature’s symbiotic relationships, where two creatures help each other. The shrimp gets meals delivered to his doorstep, and the guest gets free dental hygiene.
There’s also a symbiotic relationship between grace and repentance. It’s God’s grace that inspires us to repent. At the same time, repentance opens our heart to receive God’s grace.
The fish has to stop chewing and remain motionless while the shrimp picks debris from his teeth. Just so, I have to rest in the grace of Jesus as it removes the sin from my past mistakes and my present character. To continue a life of sin is to refuse the cleansing work underway in my heart.
Grace and repentance are symbiotic. They need each other. There is, however, one vital distinction.
Grace is a cause, while repentance is an effect. God’s grace initiates our reconciliation, then we respond to his kindness with repentance. The two are forever holding hands. Thus, wherever you witness true grace, repentance is but a half step behind.
Prayer: Lord God, I celebrate the union of your grace and my repentance.
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- Written by: Don Goulding
…Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
How can I be pure hearted when I have unclean attitudes every day? I desperately want to see God, as Jesus said, so I have to know what it means to be pure hearted.
We picked our way through the mud toward a palm thatched hovel. A six-year-old mute girl in a yellow dress shot out from the curtained doorway. She ran past the Nigerian Bible college student leading me, and threw her arms around my legs. In the villages, my white face normally frightened children who’d never seen a Caucasian, but this precious girl clung with uninhibited love.
Who was pure hearted that day? Not the girl’s mother who was in the hut practicing witchcraft. The neighbors only mocked the child’s enthusiasm. The Bible college students tried to pull her away from their missionary. Instead of swooping her up and saying, “Don’t try to stop her, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these,” I stiffened, and set the girl aside. None of us adults were pure hearted.
The six-year-old wasn’t troubled by what others thought of her. She didn’t concern herself with pride in her stature. She only wanted love and protection, and that made her pure, ready to see God.
It’s been fifteen years since I encountered the pure hearted girl. But whenever I need a reminder of what God expects from me, I close my eyes and see the yellow dress. I remember the squeeze of love at my knees, and I know that pure hearted isn’t complicated. It’s just loving others with arms open wide.
Prayer: Jesus, give me pure love for others.