S163P6 – The mind of Christ: the heart of the matter
Mt. 5:27-30
You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
Growing up in a fundamentalist religious environment, curse words were not on the table. At least, that was the rule for the children. For my parents, it would have been not only an act of disobedience for us to curse but also a source of embarrassment for them. They did not want their children to be the kind of children who used dirty language. Of course, we were like any other kids who always tried to push the limit and see where the boundary actually was. Instead of using bad words, we would say our own nicer versions of those bad words so that we would not get in trouble for cursing. The problem is that the form of the word is not really what matters. It is the sentiment behind the word which is important.
Jesus understood the complexity of sin and the little ways in which our flesh tricks us into thinking that we are not really that bad. When He equates lustful thinking with committing adultery, or when He equates hating someone with murdering that person, He is pushing us to accept something which seems rather severe. Our minds tell us that thinking about sinning is not the same as sinning. Wishing someone ill will is not the same as causing them ill will. What Jesus understood, however, is that the dark source of all of this is the same. If I take a perfectly innocuous word and use it to mean something vile and insulting, my purpose has not changed. That fluffy little word is just as evil and damaging as the filth it has replaced.
The fact that God works in us to change our hearts and our minds is critical to a change in our behavior. God’s purpose is not simply to get us to do things differently. The motivation behind what we do and say and think is what needs to change. This is the parable of the good trees bearing good fruit and the bad trees bearing bad fruit. Our fruit cannot change unless our trees change first. That is where the work is done. The change in our fruit is simply the result. The hope is that we come to understand what Christ understood, that the change of heart and mind is where the battle is won. Father, help us understand this truth, that we would surrender our hearts and minds to the changes necessary for our fruit to improve.