Protect Your Thoughts

I was driving along behind a truck the other day when I caught a strong gasoline smell.  The first thing that popped into my mind was “I hope that that’s from the guy in front of me and not me.”  On the surface, this is a natural thought and one to which I wouldn’t give any extra consideration.  What I really said in the quiet of my own heart is “I hope that guy has a problem rather than me.”

What I desperately want to think (automatically) is “I hope that guy doesn’t have a problem, and I don’t want one either, but will accept it if it’s God’s will.”  What a sad commentary on the state of my soul when I hope evil rests on another in order to protect myself.  I had little thought for this man’s safety, life, or soul – only my own.

There are those of you who may say that this isn’t important and is such a small thing.  True enough; I have not robbed a bank or murdered anyone today (yet), but the longer I walk with Christ, the more convinced I am that we are undone more by the small things than by the large.  We ignore these at our peril.  Consider the following quote:

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny

Consider these verses from scripture:
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matthew 12:35

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.  Matthew 15:18

A part of me so desires to see others as God sees them, and the other part of me doesn’t care about them at all.  I am undone, and yet comforted by the fact that God is able to change anything, even this reprobate’s heart.  Thanks be to God for His grace and the blood of Jesus that covers me.  My desire is that we all be better at allowing the Spirit to change us and create in us a clean heart.

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