Christian Living

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The world has become so money-driven and power hungry that we have convinced ourselves that life is supposed to be self-centered. We think, speak, and act evil as the acceptable custom of the day. We even claim God is behind some of the evil. We may think it is nothing, a small thing, the impact our evil has on others. We do not know or are indifferent to the true consequences of our thoughts and actions.
It is not marauding criminals and terrorists, but us, the born-again God-fearing body of Christ complacently sitting in church Sunday after Sunday who are capable of destroying ourselves and others. Even the ranks of charismatic ministry workers, dedicated pastors, evangelists and teachers are filled with hearts still harboring unknown deceit leading to evil thinking, words and actions.

Everything begets after its own kind. Love begets love; cruelty begets cruelty; selfishness begets selfishness; hope begets hope. Deep in our heart resides the seeds of our impurities. We are so used to living with the darkness of our own heart, we cannot recognize all the ways we fill our heart with more of the same. We delude ourselves about who we love, who loves us, what we desire, and who we are.

We are so intent on having the world view us as successful, or good, or holy, or generous that we ignore and deny that our hearts are not successful, or good, or holy, or generous. We deceive ourselves that we can donate money, time, or possessions, and justify the blackness of our own heart. We hide from ourselves the true motives behind our actions. We even hide from ourselves the true outcome we desire. Our ego is safisfied when someone else fails or makes mistakes. We become complacent with our comfort and contented with our friends, church, ministry, and family. We grow indifferent to the suffering of others.

Failure can sometimes be a blessing as it provides the soil for compassion to grow inside our heart. All we know in life, attracts more of the same. Success and comfort rooted in a deceitful heart cannot attract understanding, empathy, and compassion for those who have experienced failure and poverty. It is nearly impossible to learn compassion without failure and hopelessness.

Indifference to others and indifference to the result of our own deceitful hearts and behavior are the weapons of the enemy looking to destroy us. Indifference to others and pride in our own accomplishments will destroy us just as surely as murder and mayhem.

When we seek to glorify ourselves in the sight of the world, and then apparently succeed, that is the time when we have sealed our destruction.

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