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The Attitude Behind the Action

Don’t panic at today's Scripture passage! Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 5:21–22 sounds extreme, but behind the initial shock of His words is a solid and beneficial point that is meant to help us on our journey, not condemn us.

In Matthew 5 (NIV), Jesus gives a series of statements that all begin with the phrase “You have heard” and go on to say, “But I tell you….” Basically, He was emphasizing that the Old Testament Law had a deeper meaning than what most people understood. People had come to focus on the action of the Law, but Jesus points to the attitude behind the action.

The Law of the Old Testament took on a whole new standard with Jesus. He got to the heart of the matter because it is a matter of the heart. Jesus revealed the importance of our thoughts. That’s where everything starts and begins to grow in us, influencing who we are. Wrong thoughts can lead to wrong actions. Letting certain thoughts simmer can lead to dwelling on them, the develop­ment of worse thoughts, the establishment of an accompanying attitude or viewpoint, and then an action or lifestyle that can hurt us or someone else.

We need to keep an eye on the small things because they can become big. This is why spending time with Jesus to maintain a pure heart is so important.

With whom have you been angry or experienced conflict lately?

Have you sought reconciliation with this individual? If not, what might be the first steps to doing so?

Jesus, thank You for reminding me that my attitude is just as important as my actions. Help me to not harbor anger in my heart and to keep my thoughts pure and loving. I pray that Your Love would flow through me so that I can unconditionally love others. In Your Name, Amen.