My Heart, Christ’s Home

The righteous hate what is false,but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.Righteousness guards the man [or woman] of integrity,but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Proverbs 13:5-6 (NIV)

To hate what is false—have you ever thought about how valuable it is—actually, how truly life changing and character building it is to develop a viable, clear, tangible hatred of falsehood? It is righteousness that guards our integrity, whereas wrong tears us down.

First and foremost, we need to hate anything and everything that lurks in the corners and closets of our own souls that is false and wrong. I love the little booklet My Heart—Christ’s Home, by Robert Munger. It pictures your heart as a house. Jesus comes and walks into each room. And as he does, the light floods in. He then lets you know what is not right. Honestly, has it been a while since you asked him to do that for you? When we see things in our hearts as he sees them, it is the first step to wanting and asking him to set us free and cleanse us from whatever is false and wrong.

Next we look outward; we need to hate the false and wrong in this world. Compromise is not a part of godly living. James 4:4 asks us an important question: “Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (NIV).

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

The dearest idol I have known,

Whate’er that idol be,

Help me to tear it from Thy throne,

And worship only Thee.

—WILLIAM COWPER

Let’s Pray

Lord, I truly do want for my heart—my entire life—to be your home. I am painfully aware I have let little compromises crowd you out. I long to be a woman of integrity and to live as a testimony that you who have begun a good work in me will complete it. Thank you that you never give up. In Jesus’ name, amen.

One Year Bible Reading

Joshua 11:1–12:24; Luke 17:11-37; Psalm 84:1-12; Proverbs 13:5-6