What if My Thoughts Were Mic'd Up

Lebron James was mic'd up during the recent round of the NBA playoffs. While there are moments where he may be kind of playing up to the mic (the pregnant woman comment for instance), I do think we see Lebron's leadership front and center. Very happy he is back in Cleveland (where he belongs).

Which leads me to think - "what if my thoughts were mic'd up". I heard Pastor Joe say this weekend that God knows our thoughts and if others would see it on the screen of life, we would be so rapidly disqualified from just about everything. Probably just in the past 24 hours my thoughts would reveal the following:

• Calling someone (under my breath) a "f---- ass----" who almost cut me off on the trail.
• Lusting over the scantily clad girl in Panera
• Getting impatient over a slow driver in front of me
• Feeling I am not getting recognized for something I should
• Being covetous over some recognition someone else got
• Mind wandering in church while we are singing hymns (thinking about the Cavaliers interestingly enough)
• ..... and that is in the past 24 hours or so

It is not surprising that when Jesus talks to the Pharisees he brings things always back to the seat of the mind. Permit me to paraphrase Jesus.  "You say do not commit adultery, but I say you have already committed adultery in your mind". "You say do not commit murder, but I say whoever curses or calls someone fool is guilty of fiery hell".

No way you would be my friend if you knew what I thought. There is a very fine line separating me from the worst person we can imagine. That is what is so amazing about grace. Grace is God seeing me and knowing me at my absolute worst and loving me, pursuing me, caring for me, sacrificing for me. God, the creator taking my absolute worst upon himself in judgment and freeing me from the tyranny of my own thoughts.

I get heaven - God judicially paying the penalty for my worst. That is grace. But I also get life here. Seeing good in people, loving people, caring for people. Not perfectly - that will never happen this side of eternity. But imperfectly through my own carnal flesh. Lord, as you mic up my thoughts, thank you for accepting me at my worst and transforming me into your image.