Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Exodus 20:13-15, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.”

Background

I’m not sure that there is a word used more wastefully than “like.” If you listen closely to yourself, or to the one with whom you are speaking, there is a high probability that the conversation will be littered with that word. One of my daughters is prone to use it at an excessive rate. And so when she is talking to me at any length, I will sometimes challenge her to tell me her story without saying “like.” Usually, she can make it a few sentences before she slips up. But the other day, we both had to chuckle as the first word out of her mouth after I challenged her was “like.” On the surface, it would appear to be an easy thing to do, simply to avoid saying one particular word. With roughly one million words in the English language, you might think leaving just one out of your speech pattern would be simple enough. But for so much of the English speaking world, that is not the case. 

Application

Keeping the Ten Commandments is an impossible endeavor. When you slip up for five seconds and put something before your devotion to God, the hammer has dropped. But there are certain commandments that we consider less burdensome than others, aren’t there? Murder, adultery, and stealing are three things that aren’t overly common in the Christian’s life. They seem so blatantly wrong, in fact, that one could wonder why they were even specifically listed. But just as the challenge to avoid using “like” in your conversation sounds more achievable than it might actually be, so too are these commands from God. Jesus made it clear that God’s intent was for our hearts to be free from these sins. Murderous thoughts and lustful desires prove our inability keep God’s standard. But they should also remind us that a way has been made that doesn’t depend on our perfect record. Grace has been provided for ourselves, and for the ones around us who need it just as we do. Do not commit the sin of condemnation when grace is to be offered. Like, it’s not the way to peace that God has intended. 

Charge

As we seek Him today, be challenged to keep your hearts pure before God. And let that challenge fill you with grace for others. 

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words