Listen

You have heard that it was said, Don’t commit adultery. But I say to you that every man who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out and throw it away. It’s better that you lose a part of your body than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off and throw it away. It’s better that you lose a part of your body than that your whole body go into hell.

Matthew 5:27-30

Think

Have you ever heard anyone say, “I thought it, but I wasn’t going to act on it”? “I thought about slapping my sister…” “I thought about stealing that necklace…” “I thought about teasing that kid…”

Our thoughts are powerful. Over time, our thoughts quickly turn into actions that harm women, hurt businesses, and destroy the hearts of our peers.

Jesus doesn’t mess around here. “If your eye even causes you to think the wrong thoughts, tear it out of your body,” Jesus says. “Your life and your character are more important.”

The stakes are too high for us to be comfortable allowing our thoughts to wander into harmful territory. Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions have power to destroy lives and community. Jesus requires that we not give our thoughts the power to corrupt our hearts.

Emily Holladay

Pray

Gracious God, enter my thoughts and tune my heart towards your voice, that the words actions that come from my thoughts may give life to others. Amen.

Go

Go. Take the next step, confident that the One who set the stakes high walks the road with you. Do not lose sight of what is good.

“And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:8 (NRSV)