Lent Day 26: Thought Police

Remember required high school reading?

I won't lie...I enjoyed all of those books. Except maybe The Catcher in the Rye. I couldn't tell you what that was about for any amount of money. I'd try. But my description would be lacking. Of all the books I had to read in high school there are three that stand out:

1. Maggie: A Girl from the Streets
2. McTeague
3. 1984

Classics. Gritty ones too. Why did I mention those? Because they're good books! But 1984 was always one of my favorites. So when I read today's scripture I immediately thought: Though Police. And that explanation of today's title ends book club.
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In recent years we've seen numerous mass shooting. We've seen women get released from basements after many, many years. We've seen women kill their children, and husbands kill their whole family. We've seen SO many incredibly bad things. And when the news reporters interview their families we generally here this type of stuff:

"He was the nicest guy!"

Nope. Thought problem.

"He was a brilliant student!"

"He was a little withdrawn, but I would have never expected something like this!" 

"She loved those kids..."

So what went wrong? That explosively violent behavior came from somewhere. But where?

From thoughts.

Have you ever seen Minority Report?! Best movie about policing thoughts. And it seems genius, except how can a person be guilty of something they haven't even done? I'm not guilty until I do something. That's always been my thinking.

So I've never really appreciated today's reading:  

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Matthew 5:21-24

This one always got to me. Why? Because I don't do a ton of bad things. Buuuuuut, I think a ton of bad thoughts! And it's sticking point, because if I don't do anything wrong I can wrap myself in this faux fur coat of righteousness. I'm mean it's totally phony. I won't actually be righteous, but I can feel righteous as long as you can't lay a charge on me. If you can't say I lied. Stole. Killed. You've got nothing.

But too bad for me...YOU aren't my judge.

My judge...HE polices thoughts. Why?

Because God doesn't see me the way you'd see me:

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7

And since God looks at the heart, he know a very important truth:

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 

- Luke 6:45

So when bad things happen, it's only a manifestation of what is in their heart. What is in their thoughts. So that's really where the sin takes place. That's where it starts. It's the commencement of guilt.

That would be the end of this blog, but I had one other small point:

Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

The last two verses...are not what I always thought. I thought it meant if I was having a fight with someone, I had to get it right prior to worship. That I had to correct my error before seeking God. But not quite. In this scripture, I personally, don't have the issue. There's someone who has a problem with ME. I possibly couldn't care less. I might not give this person any thought (good or bad). But if I'm aware of their hatred/beef with me? I can't shake it off as "haters gon' hate." 

I have to help them. I have to be the initiator of reconciliation even if I'm not the one creating the problem. I have to be LIKE Christ. I'm over here trying to worship the God that met me where I was. The God that reconciled with me when I was the one in sin. I didn't go apologize to Jesus and then He died on the cross! So...before I can honor and thank Christ for His sacrifice, I have to go make a similar one. I thought that was interesting.