Thomas Hill : John, if I asked you who you are, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
John Harrison : I’m a basketball coach.
Thomas Hill : And if that’s stripped away?
John Harrison : Well, I’m also a history teacher.
Thomas Hill : Okay. We take that away. Who are you?
John Harrison : Well, I’m a husband. I’m a father.
Thomas Hill : And God forbid that should ever change. But if it does, who are you?
John Harrison : I don’t understand this game.
Thomas Hill : It’s not a game, man. Who are you?
John Harrison : Um, I’m a white, American male.
Thomas Hill : [laughs] Yeah, that’s for sure.
[laughs again]
Thomas Hill : Is there anything else?
John Harrison : Well, I’m a Christian.
Thomas Hill : And what does that mean?
John Harrison : It means follower of Christ.
Thomas Hill : And how important is that?
John Harrison : It’s very important.
Thomas Hill : Interesting how it’s so far down your list.
John Harrison : Wait a minute, I could easily have said Christian first.
Thomas Hill : Yeah, but you didn’t. Look, John, your identity will be tied to whatever you give your heart to. It doesn’t sound like the Lord has first place.
John Harrison : You’re calling me a bad Christian?
Thomas Hill : Let me be a little direct: last time you were here, you said you’d pray for me. Did you?
John Harrison : [Looks down, grimaces] No.
Thomas Hill : No. For someone who knows the Lord, you’re acting like somebody who doesn’t. Which makes me wonder: what have you allowed to define you? When you lost your team, it didn’t just disappoint you, it devastated you. Something, or someone, will have first place in your heart. But when you find your identity in the One Who created you, it’ll change your whole perspective.
I took those lines above from a scene in this movie called Overcomer. That part really touch my heart and made me realise that there comes a point in our life where we unconsciously put God at the very bottom of our list. We thought that we are good Christians because we pray, we go to church every weekend and we do even give our tithes and offerings. But ask yourself, do we really live God’s word by our actions? Do we seek God’s permission in every decisions we make? Do we go the extra mile to be more Christ-like?
At the end of the day, God will not judge you based on the material things that you own, or on that job that you have. He will not judge you based on that set of friends that you have. He will only look inside your heart.
God is looking at that place inside you that no one else can see and where your mind is constantly weighing various options. This means He is looking at more than just your behavior and action. He is looking at why you do what you do. That goes to the level of the heart.
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 16:7
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