Thursday Thoughts: It Starts with the Heart

Last night in our Wendsday night Bible class at church, we started going through Matthew chapter5, which is where the Sermon on the Mount begins. There are a lot of good life lessons in those chapters. One of the major points that I got out of chapter 5 last night is that it all begins with our heart. In the first 12 verses, he goes through a list qualities that Christians should have. These are all things that pertain to our hearts, like meekness, mercy, and being a peacemaker and pure in heart. Later in the chapter we find out that both murder and adultery begin in the heart, with anger and lust.

The end of the chapter is what really had me thinking the most. From verse 38 on.

• v. 38-42 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."
• v. 43-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

That is such a hard concept to grasp sometimes. At least it is for me. Wouldn't it go against every fiber of your being to turn and let someone smack you in the face? What would your reaction be if someone did that? I think my first reaction would be to smack them back! not to turn and let them hit the other side also! Doesn't that just sound ridiculous? How about if someone sued you for $10,000. Would you give them another $10,000, just for good measure? I wouldn't. How about if you knew someone who really HATED you, and was so mean to you for no good reason. Could you find it in your heart to do something good for that person??

In the world's eyes, that would be foolish. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are.."(I Cor.1:27-28)

Isaiah 55:8,9 says "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."