A Clean Filter

Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truth, and God uses all manner of things to instruct us today in His ways.  During preparation for last Sunday's message I was blessed to gain insight concerning what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Plain:  "Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)  "Garbage in, garbage out," some people say, but the point Jesus made was that it is the rubbish already in the heart of people which expresses itself in our words:  what is hidden in our hearts and heads will be manifested in our thoughts, words, and decisions.

I maintain a pool at our house we rent that is surrounded by several palm trees.  Almost simultaneously they all put out pods of flowers and small berries which drop into the pool.  Leaves from an overhanging tree also fall into the pool and the circulating water pulls the debris floating on the surface into a filter.  There is a primary and secondary filter to prevent debris from damaging the pump.  If it was up to me I never would have planted palms by the pool or would have cut them down long ago, but I am the steward of property I do not own.  What I have learned to do is as soon as I see those pods begin to emerge, within a day or two I don a long-sleeved shirt and remove them with a pruning saw.  This prevents the majority of filter-blocking episodes.  A blocked filter places additional stress on the pump, reduces the efficiency of filtration, and more junk sinks to the bottom of the pool.

It dawned on me all people develop an internal "filter" of sorts which depends on our personalities, how we were raised, who we are around, and to whom we speak.  We learn at an early age polite words and good manners are rewarded while lying or swearing are frowned upon.  I remember an occasion hearing a child say loudly while pointing, "Why is that person so fat?"  The child's mum quickly pulled him aside and explained how the things we say can hurt the feelings of others and thus not to always say out loud what we think.  As we mature as people and especially as Christians, it is love which is to filter our words.  We may decide not to say something because of the audience or the situation which is inappropriate.  Our filter is not a basket made of plastic but almost a reflex developed according to our character whether for good or ill.

As people living in a body of flesh which will ultimately be corrupted and perish due to sin, we are stewards of the body, mind, and new heart Jesus has given us.  Just like bees or leaves drop into a pool blown by the wind, depending on the situation there may be all kinds of immoral or sinful thoughts or words which are caught by our filter:  we think them, but we do not say them.  This goes for our feelings as well.  We may feel angry or offended but at the time make an effort not to let on we have been affected by what was said.  Many times this is when our pride has been wounded or the flesh feels slighted.  Jesus said in Luke 6:45, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Our filters cannot catch everything, but what our filters do catch ought to be of concern to us because they reveal the true condition of our heart.  This is a key aspect of what Jesus is saying:  we can be more concerned about what escapes the filter than what the filter catches.

Since we are given a new heart and renewed mind through faith in Jesus, as we walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and value what is good our filters can stay clean.  Sinful thoughts and desires ought to be confessed and repented of as we remove major sources of temptation from our eyes and ears.  Love is to filter what we say, how we say it, and why we say it for the glory of God and the benefit of others.  Our hearts are naturally deceitful and wicked, yet after being born again through the Gospel we can value what is good and it will be brought forth.  Praise the LORD for His cleaning work, that He is good, and how He reveals His goodness, wisdom, and grace to us in ordinary things.