“A
good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil
man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth
speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45, NIV)
“What is really inside will come
spilling out for all to see when life puts the squeeze on us. My Mama used to
say ‘What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.’ In other words, a crisis
will usually reveal what is really in our hearts. It is easy to do and say the
right things when life is calm and everything is going right, but what we say
and do when chaos hits and the pressure is on tends to paint a more accurate
picture of who we really are. It is kind of like sponge theology.
Suppose you have five sponges lying
on your kitchen counter. Each member of your family has been cleaning different
areas of your home, but the sponges all look the same. You are curious about
what was cleaned but you can’t tell just by looking at the sponges since they
all look the same. So what do you do?
You squeeze each sponge to see what
happens. As you squeeze the first sponge, brown cola comes pouring out. Someone
must have cleaned the kitchen with that sponge. Upon squeezing the second
sponge, you see blue tub and tile cleaner oozing out of the sponge which leads
you to believe someone used that particular sponge to clean the bathroom. In
the third sponge, you find motor oil and conclude your husband was using that
sponge to clean the garage.
The fourth sponge produces a puff of baby powder when it is squeezed. The baby’s nursery was obviously cleaned with that sponge. Finally, the last sponge is dripping with floor wax which tells you someone used that particular sponge to clean the hall floor. As you lay the last sponge down, you look again at their similarity. They all look the same -- until they are squeezed.
The fourth sponge produces a puff of baby powder when it is squeezed. The baby’s nursery was obviously cleaned with that sponge. Finally, the last sponge is dripping with floor wax which tells you someone used that particular sponge to clean the hall floor. As you lay the last sponge down, you look again at their similarity. They all look the same -- until they are squeezed.
We are a lot like sponges when it
comes to our faith in God. We look and act as if God is Lord of our lives. We
say all the right things to all the right people and do right things in order
to prove we are right. But what is really inside? What do our hearts really
look like?
When a crisis comes and the pressures
of life squeeze us mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually, what
comes out? Do we respond to that difficult person in anger or with patience and
love? Does revenge spill out in ugly words to that person who has hurt us more
times than we can count or do we take a breath and remember that God loves them
and that hurt people tend to hurt people? Does the pain of unresolved sin flood
our hearts and minds as guilt spills out of our heart with a vengeance?
Just like the sponge, we can only squeeze out what is put
in. Fill your heart with the things of God. Stay in the Word each day. Spend
time with faith builders who will encourage you in your faith. Seek God and His
plan for your life. Pray about everything so that when life puts the squeeze on
you – and it will – the very nature of God will come pouring out.
Let’s
Pray
Father, I want my faith to be more
than just talk. I want it to be real and authentic, flowing from a heart set on
You. Forgive me when I play religious games and pretend to be someone I am not.
I am a sinner saved by Your grace. Teach me how to walk in that grace so that
when the hard times come and the pressure is on, You come pouring out of my
life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“My heart is
steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Awake, my
glory! (Ps. 57:7, 8a)
Today’s 9th truth: if you are “born again”, you are redeemed from the curse of the law. (Gal. 3:13)
Jean’s book: http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Plan-Marry-Man/dp/0984765530/
You may contact me at: jowildflowers@gmail.com
Jean’s book: http://www.amazon.com/So-You-Plan-Marry-Man/dp/0984765530/
You may contact me at: jowildflowers@gmail.com
http://www.jean-oathout.blogspot.com
Tomorrow’s
post: WHAT IF JESUS WERE IN
THE BOAT WITH YOU?
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