spirituality

Lately I have been thinking about the inward journey of spirituality.  What does it mean to be a spiritual person.  How can I, how can one change to become more like Christ.  I listen to much of the church world, and I hear their definition of spirituality:  don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t get a tattoo.  Don’t gamble, don’t dress like that, don’t go to that place, don’t don’t don’t don’t.  I have listened to this message for years.  Finally something has occurred to me, as I am reminded of something that Jesus once said:

             “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,^(AB) which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.   Matthew 23:27

Jesus is saying, that we should worry about the inside.  We should be concerned about what is going on in our hearts.  How clear this passage seems to me, yet why are there so many voices in the church world that keep pointing to outward righteousness?  It is like some folks in the broader church have forgotten Jesus’ words altogether and have in fact turned them around to where they are focusing on the outward appearance instead of the heart.

Jesus’ words don’t change.  If  you want to be a person of spirit, look to your heart.  Open it up and let the spirit in.  That is what spirituality is about.  A clean heart, a generous heart, a heart that is turned toward our Father, and oh my how life changes in a joyful way when we have his love in our hearts.

It’s a beautiful day in God’s world, be sure to see the good.