Abundance

I don't think I mentioned this before, but you can click on the title of each entry and it will take you to the reference page for the scriptures I'm studying.

I'm trying to find peace and balance in my life - because if you're full of noise how will you be able to hear whisperings from Heaven? So I'm attempting scripture study with light, ambient music in the background to try and keep my mind from wandering unproductively. Plus, it also calms me down, which I can't see as being anything but a plus.

The idea that I want to touch on today is summed up in Luke 6:45

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Imagine a cup, and you pour water into it until it over flows. What comes out of the cup? Water, right? Now say you pour water into your cup 3/4 of the way, and oil the rest of the way and keep going. What comes out of the cup? This time it will be oil. Why? Because physically oil is less dense then water and will always "float" to the top. Metaphorically speaking, what you fill your heart with will be what comes out of you in your words, actions and thoughts. Likewise, if you have a lot of good in you, but you have something else that is of a higher priority, then that is what will come out of you instead of the good.

I think the next few verses in Luke 6 are an important refresher in what this all boils down to:

46 ¶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

When we claim to be disciples of Christ, and don't do what He says, it is like filling yourself with a lot of water, but then you think that is enough and you feel content pouring oil the rest of the way the rest of your life. This isn't good enough. Both of these men in the parable above had the knowledge of how to build a good, strong house - but one didn't follow through with his construction plans and suffered the consequences of it. I don't want to seem all doom and gloom, because it isn't like I'm doing an amazing job all the time at being righteous, but I think being aware of what is inside you and what your priorities are is a fair warning and a fair goal to keep in mind.