From the Inside Out
On a recent road trip, I decided to listen to worship songs for most of the drive. Some I hadn’t heard in a while and I love hearing the meaningful words paired with beautiful harmonies. One thought that crossed my mind was the picture from the movie Inside Out where our emotions have control of the switchboard in our mind. While I think Joy is in control a lot in my brain, sometimes that little red guy gets his hand on the level and amps it up!
However, the words in our title song struck a different chord with me based on a recent ladies class lesson where we talked about adornment and it went well beyond the typical lesson on modest apparel. One of the truths we discussed was that what is worn, both in actual clothing and in attitude, is ultimately dictated by the focus of our heart. If my ultimate desire is to please God, that comes from the heart and quiets arguments like “I feel more comfortable in…,” “but all my friends are …,” or even, “why does it matter so much?”
It matters because it reflects your beliefs to others … whatever “it” is. It could be my speech, my attitude, where I spend my time, what I wear, how I spend my money, or any number of other things. That’s why we have to look deeper than the outside.
I may look the part, sound the part, dress the part, and even act the part, but if my heart is not in tune with God’s word, He knows, and that is what matters. Yes, my influence on others matters inasmuch as it directs them toward or away from God. But if I am not transformed from the inside out, I have missed the mark.
One line from the song reads, “Your will above all else.” What a challenge for our daily lives! I pray that the Lord will help me keep that thought close to my mind as well as the words from the following scripture:
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b)
AUTHOR: Amber Tatum
