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Luke 6:43-45: Truth will out.

Some years ago I saw an advert for a well known English newspaper. I believe it was ‘the Times’, but I am not one hundred per cent sure. Anyway, whatever the paper, the slogan was, ‘Truth will out’. Fundamentally, this is what Jesus is saying here. The truth about you will appear. This is a sobering thought. You will not be able to hide who you are. What you are inwardly will show outwardly in behaviour. In particular it will be expressed in your speech. Words are an index of the heart. They give a read out. Like Peter (Matthew 26:73), our speech betrays us.

Above all things we should guard our hearts because from them flow the issues of life. This is one of the key messages in the book of ‘Proverbs’.

Somebody spoke about the ‘give away life of the Christian’. When we live right we live ‘deliciously’. Our lives are appetising, and cause people to want to ‘taste and see that the Lord is good.’ If you have a good heart you will be producing good fruit, to the glory of God and the delight and benefit of many others.

Luke 5:37-42: Eyes down, look in!

Be generous towards people; be generous in attitude It is almost instinctive for people to judge.But no-one knows enough to be able to condemn another. Only God has the right amount of information, and He will judge correctly. But we get it wrong again and again. So the next time you find yourself hurtling towards making a judgment, choose to squeeze the break. Stop yourself.

I am learning – slowly – that you can’t control anyone else’s be haviour ( however much you may seek to influence it),but you can go to work on yourself. That’s what Jesus teaches here. There is an alternative to judging others and it is to ‘first’ judge yourself. It is fairly safe to assume that your sins are greater than anyone else’s. That’s a good approach to take. It’s not that you can’t help anyone else, but you need to prioritise repenting of your own sins and changing your conduct.

Here’s something else: be generous with your money (38). Have you proved how wonderfully Jesus fulfills this promise to those who obey it? You will if you do.

Prayer: Lord help me to live generously in every way.