Check Your Own Heart First
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thought. -- Psalm 139:23
It’s Sunday and lots of folks are heading to church. Some are dressed in their finest and others wear casual attire. Some enter a solemn sanctuary while others get ready for a boisterous gathering.
The differences could be defined by that old cliché “different strokes for different folks.” Except some people get downright upset. They’re almost always the ones who prefer the traditional way of doing things. I would be the upset one on the other side. What difference does it make? God cares about our hearts not whether we’re wearing a skirt and high heels.
One suit-attired man said it didn’t bother him for others to dress down if that’s all they have to wear. But he expects people to wear their best when they come to church. He also prefers the traditional service. When he goes to church, that is. Seems like he doesn’t make it that often anymore. Maybe it’s a heart thing.
Another friend sometimes wears shorts and a casual top to the contemporary service. She warns people around her that she going to stand and clap and sing to the music. Her Bible is ready and open the moment the sermon begins. She pays attention and takes notes. She loves Jesus and she tells everyone she knows about all He’s done for her. She rarely misses a Sunday service.
Who do you think gets what worshipping God is all about? The one obsessed with the dress code or the one celebrating her salvation and craving more knowledge? Which one do you think arrives at church with the right heart?
It’s easy to become obsessed with the external stuff that surrounds us. We’d rather point the finger at someone else than look inward and acknowledge our own sinful nature. So next time you’re at church and you want to fuss about the music or how someone else is dressed, take a moment a check your own heart. Maybe you're the one who needs to heart adjustment.
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