Matthew 5: 21-26 continues Jesus' sermon on the mount where he reveals further how important keeping our heart pure is.
The church I attended as a child put so much emphasis on being pure at heart before giving your tithes that before that part came up at every service, the pastor would say
it is more important that you offer your tithes with a pure heart than to give tithes. There would be a period before the offering that persons would get up greet each other and apologize for any wrong doings. People would cry and really get emotional during that time. What was always amazing to see was that some persons would be shocked when others approached them to say how they hurt them or apologize for something they did. It was amazing because sometimes the other person wouldn't know that they had hurt that person or that someone had done them wrong. At the end, most times you would see them hugging and going to the altar together with their offering. In fact one of our musicians composed a song about reconciling and bring gifts to the altar that we would sing during that time in the service.
That stuck with me because we never know what tomorrow or the next hour or the next second brings. Someone may have done you wrong and instead of reconciling your differences, you choose to keep it in or instead of apologizing for doing someone wrong, you pretend like you did nothing wrong. Let's keep our conscience clear. I can speak from experience how liberating it feels and how free it is to apologize or to ask for forgiveness for something you did wrong. It is truly a spiritual thing because you can literally feel the cords that had your heart in bondage falling off, breaking away and your heart feeling liberated.
Jesus was basically saying sometimes the sin we think carry the most conviction is murder, however sins such as being angry with someone for no reason or calling someone a fool carry the same conviction as murder. Can you believe that? That's almost hard to conceive!
Jesus knows that although we do not go before a jury or get sentenced to prison on this earth, those sins carry a greater sentence to our soul than prison can ever come close to - hell's fire! Now which is greater, prison on earth or your soul in eternal hell?
For this reason, before things escalate and get out of hand, it is best to deal with the issue. (Matthew 5:23-25) You do not want to reach to the point where it has gone too far and its hard or impossible to do anything about it when indeed "you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." (Matthew 5:26). Ever had an issue that escalated out of hand when if you nipped it in the bud, it wouldn't be a factor now? I've been there. Best to apologize, forgive, reconcile before you cannot do anything about it and that opportunity is gone.
At that church, I learned a valuable lesson, some things in life that we harbor in our hearts, hurts us and those around us and does the greater damage to us in the end. It is best to let those things go, whatever it is. Jesus is the best therapist out there and He was preaching how to keep our hearts pure and how to do it way before Dr. Phil and others came along. The best thing for us to do is to follow his prescription and we will be better than alright.
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder,[a] and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause[b] shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
The church I attended as a child put so much emphasis on being pure at heart before giving your tithes that before that part came up at every service, the pastor would say
it is more important that you offer your tithes with a pure heart than to give tithes. There would be a period before the offering that persons would get up greet each other and apologize for any wrong doings. People would cry and really get emotional during that time. What was always amazing to see was that some persons would be shocked when others approached them to say how they hurt them or apologize for something they did. It was amazing because sometimes the other person wouldn't know that they had hurt that person or that someone had done them wrong. At the end, most times you would see them hugging and going to the altar together with their offering. In fact one of our musicians composed a song about reconciling and bring gifts to the altar that we would sing during that time in the service.
That stuck with me because we never know what tomorrow or the next hour or the next second brings. Someone may have done you wrong and instead of reconciling your differences, you choose to keep it in or instead of apologizing for doing someone wrong, you pretend like you did nothing wrong. Let's keep our conscience clear. I can speak from experience how liberating it feels and how free it is to apologize or to ask for forgiveness for something you did wrong. It is truly a spiritual thing because you can literally feel the cords that had your heart in bondage falling off, breaking away and your heart feeling liberated.
Jesus was basically saying sometimes the sin we think carry the most conviction is murder, however sins such as being angry with someone for no reason or calling someone a fool carry the same conviction as murder. Can you believe that? That's almost hard to conceive!
Jesus knows that although we do not go before a jury or get sentenced to prison on this earth, those sins carry a greater sentence to our soul than prison can ever come close to - hell's fire! Now which is greater, prison on earth or your soul in eternal hell?
For this reason, before things escalate and get out of hand, it is best to deal with the issue. (Matthew 5:23-25) You do not want to reach to the point where it has gone too far and its hard or impossible to do anything about it when indeed "you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny." (Matthew 5:26). Ever had an issue that escalated out of hand when if you nipped it in the bud, it wouldn't be a factor now? I've been there. Best to apologize, forgive, reconcile before you cannot do anything about it and that opportunity is gone.
At that church, I learned a valuable lesson, some things in life that we harbor in our hearts, hurts us and those around us and does the greater damage to us in the end. It is best to let those things go, whatever it is. Jesus is the best therapist out there and He was preaching how to keep our hearts pure and how to do it way before Dr. Phil and others came along. The best thing for us to do is to follow his prescription and we will be better than alright.
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." - Mark 11:25God bless you! Take care and continue to comment and subscribe.
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