PODCAST
A Reconciled Heart
December 29th, 2021
Matthew 5:21-26
Stefanie and her husband sometimes joke that their oldest should consider becoming a lawyer when he gets older. A stickler for details and exactness, their oldest will take what you say and follow it to the “T.” He follows the “letter of the law,” especially when it benefits him.
After Jesus shared in His sermon who is blessed in the kingdom, He continued to expound on what the kingdom is, and is not. Jesus took our ideas of right and just and pushed them further. We would agree that murder is wrong, but Jesus goes further—beyond the letter of the law—to include hatred of others. The heart, hidden away from public view much of the time, can be as guilty as the hand holding a murder weapon. The heart must be clean—lacking the stains of broken relationships between both God and others. Our gifts of worship are not worthy if given with an unreconciled heart.
Is there anyone you need to reconcile with? Don’t wait-if the previous year taught us anything it is that life is precious and fleeting.
Author: Stefanie Hendrickson
