Dreams and Schemes
Matthew 15:10-12 Jesus called the people to him. He said, “Listen and understand what I am saying. It is not what people put in their mouth that makes them wrong. It is what comes out of their mouth that makes them wrong.” Then the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees are upset about what you said?”
We each have different priorities in life. You do. I do. And if God is God … well, He must do too. The question is how do our priorities sit with His priorities for our lives?
I’m always amazed at just how easy it is to turn our response to God’s love into a bunch of rules. You know how it goes … you’re amazed that He’d send Jesus to die for you, you want to honour God for that, so you set about living your life for Him.
But before you know it, you’re making up rules that actually mean little, if nothing, to God in the first place. Let me give you a “for instance”. There are people – Christians – who’ll tell you that you shouldn’t eat this or drink that. You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it.
But Jesus has a completely different take :
Matthew 15:10-12 Jesus called the people to him. He said, “Listen and understand what I am saying. It is not what people put in their mouth that makes them wrong. It is what comes out of their mouth that makes them wrong.” Then the followers came to Jesus and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees are upset about what you said?”
It turns out that what matters to Him isn’t so much how well you follow those man-made rules, but what’s going on in your heart. Because, for Him, the dreams and schemes of your heart – the essence of who you are – is where it’s all at.
When we decide to stop following the rules and start living our lives radically for Jesus … sure, that’s going to upset a few people. But then you have to ask yourself, “Who am I really trying to please?”
Stop jumping through man-made hoops. Start living your life radically for Jesus.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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