Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts?” // Matthew 9:4
I am not a mind reader, but after being a mother for nineteen years, I have gotten pretty good at making guesses. I don't even always have to see the person to know if I am getting a crazy look. Raising teenagers will help one hone her inference skills. Teens have an uncanny ability to fully express their emotions when you aren't looking at them.
I love to pretend like I am shocked when I catch my thirteen year old giving me a look of total disgust right behind my back. Often my mock outrage leads to us succumbing to a fit of giggles and then a sheepish apology for her disrespect, followed by a more open discussion of whatever was really making her mad and how she could communicate better in the future.
Jesus, on the other hand, could read minds, and He can read ours now too. Our eye rolls, frustrations, disgust, or disappointment are all written clearly on our minds and hearts. Jesus loves our hearts. He is attentive to our hearts. And although He knows the answer, He asks us the same question today: Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Jesus poses this rhetorical question in order to motivate us to seek the answer. Why am I irritated with this person? Why do I struggle with patience in these situations? Why was I so quick to anger? Why did I fall into sin? He calls us to a deeper understanding of ourselves, our own emotions, and our spiritual struggles. The answers to these questions shed light in our darkness and draw us closer to understanding how we can avoid those thoughts in the future.
Next time you are tempted by your thoughts, consider examining the situation with clarity, ask for forgiveness, and talk it over with Jesus.
Jesus loves our hearts. // @maryruthhackettClick to tweet
Dr. Mary Ruth Hackett is a writer, national speaker, and podcast host covering topics in psychology and faith. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and works at the important intersection of faith and developmental science, blending them in the original harmony God intended. Dr. Mary Ruth is the author of Daughter by Design: Discovering Your Identity as God's Beloved Daughter, and co-coauthor of Spiritual Discernment for Beginners: Learning to Hear God and Defeat the Lies of the Enemy. She is a contributing author to All She Had and our children’s devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
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