Life Spark: Judge heart first, head next. (John 7:15-24)
I was raised in a home with authentic, Christ-following parents. In high school, I decided I wanted to be popular more than I wanted to please God, so I turned my heart away from God. Within a year or so, my head had turned away as well. I came to disbelieve the things I had been taught about God, and I chose a different lifestyle.
Years later when I came back to faith heart first, it was hard for my head to follow. I believed some, but I needed major help with my unbelief. It took a lot of time in the Bible and in books by Christian apologists to change my mind. Speaking of minds, the Jews were amazed at the intellect of Jesus, considering He lacked a seminary diploma.
“Jesus answered, ‘My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.’” (John 7:16-17, NIV)
Some of those listening to Jesus said, “He’s a fraud,” and others said “He’s from God.” How does one decide which it is? Amazingly, Jesus said that determining to do God’s will comes before knowing His truth and experiencing His reality.
For six months I tried to come back to God head first, while withholding part of my heart. God didn’t begin to reveal His reality to me until I said sincerely, “I will do whatever you ask me to do if you will show yourself to be real to me.” He did.
God revealed Himself to me as a relational God, not a religious God. Jesus revealed the heart of the Father by healing a man on the Sabbath. When the religionists claimed His actions proved He was not from God, He said, “… why are you angry with me for healing the whole man on the Sabbath?” (John 7:23, NIV)
The God that Jesus revealed made rules (like Sabbath-keeping) because He loved people and wanted to help them thrive – be more alive. How could someone like Jesus, someone committed to helping people be more alive, not be from God? I love the way the Lord finished this dialog: “Don’t be nitpickers; use your head—and heart!—to discern what is right, to test what is authentically right.” (John 7:24, MSG)
Align your heart with God’s heart. Then involve your heart (and not just your head) in making judgments. Judging with all head and no heart will give you a big head and a small heart.”
Life action: Think of one time when you made a heart-first judgment about someone or something.