Title: The true image moves the heart.
A true image moves the heart.
Text: Ephesians 5:9
“The fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.”
Mrs. Joseph Parter was a major influence on prisoners in British prisons. When she first entered the prison, the prisoners would swear and hide under blankets. Patrer went to them one by one, laid a hand on their forehead and put the pillow right away. There was no sermon or instruction. Then the prisoners gradually became interested in this strange woman and voluntarily asked her to tell her anything she wanted to hear. A hand that points to the forehead and puts the pillow right away! That hand was more powerful than a thousand words. Heartbreak is usually not verbal, but only sincere love can move the heart.
“A true witness saves lives, but a person who speaks lies deceives” (Proverbs 14:25).
When you tell people your thoughts or feelings, you need to have the truth in your words to impress them. Queen Victoria of England got into an argument with her husband, Prince Albert, over a trivial matter. When Prince Albert went into his room in anger, the Queen felt apologetic and decided to apologize to her husband and knocked on her husband's door.
“Who is it?” I heard my husband's blunt voice. “I am the Queen of England.” But the door did not open. The queen knocked again. “Who are you?” “The Queen of England.” Again, the door did not open. The queen was angry and went back to her office. After thinking for a while, the queen came back and knocked again. “Who is it?” “Your wife.” Then the door opened. True words come when you respect others. When Queen Victoria returned from being the queen of a country to "a man's wife" to treat her husband, Prince Albert recognized that his wife respected him. Every sincere word is worth an eloquence.
“Truthful lips are preserved forever, but a false tongue is but a moment” (Proverbs 12:19).
One day I read the testimony of a saint in the church newspaper. It was written about the small opportunity that led him to come back to God after living apart from God. He said that he decided to turn back because of the word he had heard from his children.
“Dad, do you know the last time our whole family worshiped together?”
These words echoed in his heart, and he confesses that he is looking back on his broken religious life. As believers, parents should set the right example for their children. The real reason children disappoint their parents is not that they are imperfect, but that they cannot find truth and seek to rule only with authority. As children grow up, little by little they come to understand the weaknesses of their parents. However, we cannot expect children to understand because the image of an unfaithful parent breaks the basic trust of parents in the hearts of children. So, the most important example that we should show our children is the attitude of living a sincere life before God. Parents should be able to transparently show their children all aspects of their lives as beings who influence their children to form values. Then, rather than disappointing the children when the fact that their parents are not perfect, they nurture respect for their parents by living truthfully before God even though they are weak. This is the basis for forming the family of faith.
“Who, O LORD, shall dwell in your tents, and who shall dwell in your holy mountain? who walks uprightly, practice justice, and speak truth in their hearts” (Psalm 15:1, 2).
“Behold, thou desirest sincerity of heart; thou shalt teach me wisdom in secret” (Psalm 51:6).
When God suddenly appears and asks you what you are doing, the person who can confidently answer, “What am I doing now?” must be a sincere person who looks up to heaven and lives without shame. When we are honest and sincere, our hearts are at peace and we are happy, and we move the hearts of our neighbors.
“If your lips speak uprightness, my heart will rejoice” (Proverbs 23:16).
May we all be honest and sincere, knowing that God is a God who recognizes our little truths and responds quickly to such sincere gestures.
* Prayer: Holy and true Heavenly Father, forgive us for our untruthfulness. May you be diligent and faithful in the work you have entrusted to you with a heart of reverence for God. Help me to hate lies, be wary of hypocrisy, and build up truth in this land. Help us to live with strength and honesty with a heart that trusts in God who is our refuge and shield. I give all of my life to Jesus, who redeemed me, so that I may always be sincere, in Jesus' name. Amen