Out of the Abundance of the Heart

Out of the Abundance of the Heart

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

Luke 6:43-45.  "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. "For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

This week a pastor of a large congregation spoke words that drove the knife of racism deeply into the hearts of the wounded and fed the divisive spirit that is prevalent in our nation. When he was confronted, he tearfully apologized.

He is like many of us.  We quickly apologize for what we say.  We rarely, if ever, apologize for what we think.  An apology for what we have said is only superficial.  It does not address the root issue.  How can we chop down the tree unless we lay the axe to the root.

How often have we, with deep repentance,  prayed as David prayed:   Psalm 139: 23-25 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;  And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

No matter which side of the political and social divide you are on, please pray with me. “Oh God, I want to know where my thinking is wrong, where it is perverted and contorted.  I want to allow the mind of Christ to indwell we.  I want to think as you think.  I want to be as you are.”

The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome:  Romans 12: 1-2: “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Our heart’s cry must be, “Father God, I am willing to be transformed by the renewing of my mind.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.

Only then, will we lay the axe to the root.  Only then will we be transformed.

Jesus said in John 7: 38.  "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.''  The river of God is to flow from the hearts of His people.  That river is to bring life where ever it flows.  (Ezekiel 47)

Caution: Method May Muddy Message

Caution: Method May Muddy Message

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

The situation in our nation today is grievous. The act that instigated the violence is egregious. It is so egregious that it should have united us as a nation in our protest. In fact, we are in agreement that the act was heinous and that justice must come forth. It is not the protesting that has divided us, it is the method of protesting.

As so often happens in protesting that agitates violence, destruction and wrath, the message of the protest is lost in the method of the protest. That, too, is egregious. It isn’t the right to protest that is dangerous. It is our methods of protesting that can lead to our loss of that liberty.

How then shall we protest? As always, the word of God is our guide (even if we don’t believe in God).

Consider Isaiah 1:16b-17: Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, reprove the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

First, we must cease to do evil. Burning, pillaging and looting are evil. We must learn to do good.

Look again at the first amendment. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

We must peacefully assemble. People in Philadelphia and in other places have been peacefully protesting for days. They are marching together, praying together, loving together. They have learned to do good. In that goodness, they are seeing justice, they are reproving the oppressor. Their message is not muddied by their methods.

Study Amos 5:24: But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. A key word in this passage is “let.” To let means to allow. We must ask ourselves if our method of protesting allows justice to run down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream or does our method of protesting prevent justice and righteousness from pouring forth.

Take to heart Micah 6:8: 8. He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Am I walking justly, mercifully and humbly in my protest? Martin Luther King did and so can we.