Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.

– Psalm 143:10

The 143rd Psalm is a psalm identified as being written by King David. The New King James Version gives this psalm the title, “An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance.” In verses 3 and 4, David writes:

For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.

According to Augustine of Hippo this psalm was likely written during the period of the rebellion of David’s son Absalom. No one really knows when this psalm was written and what was going on in David’s life, but I think we can look at this psalm and know that David is in great distress. Whatever was happening in David’s life, it is a time of great stress, anxiety, and depression.

I think there are two ways we can look at the 143^rd Psalm and see it in our own lives. We are probably all familiar with the expression about missing the forest for the trees, and its wisdom about not being distracted by smaller details that undermine our appreciation of the “big picture.” In this case, I think we can look at this in a way to not only see the trees and the forest but also the small groves that appear here and there. The trees are our own lives, while the grove is our friends and family around us, and the forest being the wider world.

Let’s look at our tree first. If you have not experienced a period of depression and anxiety in your life, then you are very fortunate. Both conditions can be crippling in our lives. To me, I can see Psalm 143:3-4 is describing a period of stress, anxiety, and depression. We may feel persecuted, crushed to the ground, beaten down and our spirit broken. It is in these times that we “dwell in darkness.” I remember back in high school in a time that I look back at now and realize I was coming to terms with my sexuality and was going to a bout of depression. My spirit was “overwhelmed within me.” 

I was in a bookstore one evening when I came across the book Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness by William Styron. The book describes Styron’s descent into depression and his triumph of recovery from that depression. I probably did not realize that what I was feeling was depression until I read this book. No one had ever talked to me about mental illness, nor did anyone tell me that what I was feeling about my sexuality was normal. I know that I am prone to depression. I have had bouts of it throughout my life. Medicine helps, and I take comfort in my friends around me and God’s love for me. 

I pray that God will “lead me in the land of uprightness.” The first definition of uprightness in the dictionary describes it as, “the state of being in a vertical position.” The second definition defines it as, “the condition or quality of being honorable or honest.” In the instance of coming to terms with my sexuality, God helped me to accept who I am, to stand, and to lift up my spirit. By doing so, the helped me to be more honest with myself.

The second way we can look at Psalms 143 is that of our immediate surroundings. When we see friends and family in distress, we are there with the Lord to help lift them up to improve their situation. We may not be able to do more than be there for them, but that can go a long way when someone is troubled. There may be other ways we can help that are more physical that lead to a solution to the problem. If their trouble is financial, then maybe we can help. If they are sick, we can do what we can to make them feel better or simply by taking them to the doctor. I am far away from my family. This can be both a good and a bad thing, but I know I have friends up here who can help if I let them. I have had to go to the emergency room twice, and I knew I could count on a good friend of mine to take me. There are many things we can do to help those around us. We just have to try to be of help when we can.

Lastly, we can look at Psalm 143 in the context of the wider world. We live in a time of great strife. The wars in Israel and Ukraine are heartbreaking to see. This last week, there was another mass shooting at a school. Gun violence surrounds us in the United States, and I fear every day for the lives of my friends who are teachers, because you have to wonder: is this going to happen at their school? I had the fear of it happening when I was teaching, and even at my university, we have active shooter drills. Luckily, the museum has a basement that has several doors that can be locked and provide safety, but not everyone has that option. We live in a time when we are literally in a battle between good and evil. In elections around the world, we have seen good versus evil on the ballot. We come to the choice of whether or not we want to live in a society that votes for a group defined by their hate or a group that is defined by loving kindness. 

We have the choice: do we want to help people or persecute people? When we go to the ballot box this November, we need to think about what kind of country we want to live in. Do we want a quasi-fascist (or just plain fascist) government who governs based on their hatred and seeks retribution against those who they believe harmed them? Or do we want a government that will help individuals and the country to heal? We are still feeling the effects of the pandemic. Prices are increasing as corporations see this as an opportunity for profit. By harming the economy and putting stress on the consumer, they are creating resentment for the government currently in power. They do this because they know that the party wanting to be in power will do more to help them financially than the average citizen.

In the parable of the sower (Mark 4:3-20), Jesus warned that two out of the four types of soils would fall away because of trials. The seed sown on the rocky soil at first received the word with joy, but when affliction or persecution arose because of the word, they fell away. The seed sown among the thorns took longer to fail. But eventually the thorns, which represent “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” (4:19). The only type of soil representing true believers is that which endures and brings forth fruit. False believers reveal their true colors by falling away or returning to the world under trials. So we need to know how to take our trials to the Lord in prayer so that we endure and grow, rather than fall away. That’s what Psalm 143 tells us how to face trials of the world.

If we follow God’s teachings, He will help us, put an end to our enemies’ quest for dominance and destroy the hate that they spread. Psalm 143 ends with the plea, “Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. In Your mercy cut off my enemies and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant.” (Psalm 143:11-12) While David may have literally been praying that God would destroy his enemies, we can pray that God will defeat those who are motivated by hate. God will lift our spirits in times of distress and cut off the cause of our depression and anxiety. Moreover, God can work through us to help those around us in their times of need. There is one thing that God can always give us: Hope.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

-Galatians 3:28

I’ve always liked this Bible verse. Galatians 3:28 shows that all Christians are children of God, and there are no exceptions, no inequalities. All Christians alike, no matter what their race, status, or sex, stand on the same footing before God. There is a unity or solidarity in the Christian body. What is true of one is true of all. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

I did a search for the meaning of Galatians 3:28 and came across a lot of interpretations that were interesting, but not in a good interesting. It is amazing how many Christian organizations try to justify using this verse to discriminate. These commentators interpret the verse as teaching that Paul is calling “only” for spiritual equality in Christ Jesus. They make the claim that natural differences between peoples are to be maintained as God’s policy for us in our lives on earth. This line of thought was established by those who, recognizing the radical implications of equality, immediately moved to temper any application of it beyond their own prejudices. By doing so, they are saying that we are equals in the eyes of God in only the possibility of what we can become by following their own prejudices, and we are, in fact, not truly equals. They claim that this is only referring to how God sees us, not how we should see ourselves and others.

Those using Galatians 3:28 in a way to claim that it means we are not all the same in society, but it means only that all people are equal “in regard to religion.” They believe this is the sole point under discussion; and the interpretation should be limited to this. These same people proclaim that all people are equal in all things and claim that the gospel was not designed to break down all the distinctions of society. Throughout history, people have called for equality when they see injustices imposed on people who are seen as different. Governments, politicians, and even religious leaders have taught people should not be treated as societal equals. They used this to defend slavery, discrimination, and genocide. 

The Bible can be seen as a static and literal in all things, or it can be seen as the living and active Word of God. It is to be restudied and reapplied on a continuing basis within the context of societal changes and enlightened thoughts. If we always remain narrowminded, then we will never grow as humans. Therefore, as man creates more and more distinctions, divisions, and prejudices we have to continually remind ourselves that we are all one in God’s eyes. It is imperative that we open our minds to changes that will improve the equality of all. Whenever someone finds a new way to discriminate, fight to end that discrimination. Christ taught us how to make the world a better place and that we are all God’s children, and time and again in the apostle Paul tells how we can do this in his letters to the Galatians, Colossians, Ephesians, Romans, etc. Paul’s call for equality is arguably the most prominent reiteration in Paul’s letters.

So, just as Paul and Christ challenged you to not see distinctions when we look at others, we should look for the similarities that make us all one in Christ. We constantly find ourselves judging others by their appearance, their manners, or any number of superficial differences. So, the next time you catch yourself seeing these differences remind yourself that God tells us, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female” We are all one in the eyes of the Lord. 

If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.”

-Psalm 94:18-19

We all try to be good people, at least, I hope we do, but sometimes we slip. We may not do something truly awful, but sometimes we get angry and lash out or do something else that is unkind and makes us feel afterward that we are not a good person. We slip sometimes, but even on those days when we are not as kind or good as we would like to be, the Lord is there to hold us up.

Sometimes, we just make bad decisions. Those decisions lead to anxiety in our lives, but remember God is there to put to rest our anxieties. We all have a lot of things that worry us. Sometimes bad things just happen but know that no matter what happens to us in this life, God will be there for us. His comfort should delight our soul.

In Psalms 94:18-19, as so often happens in the Bible, the writer uses a visual image to help us understand a spiritual truth. Despite the thousands of years that separate us from the writer of this psalm, this image is one which still speaks directly to us. Perhaps there was a time when you were climbing a steep hill and suddenly your foot began to slip. You felt a moment of fear and panic, but your friend was there, to take your hand and help you up. In that moment, you may have seen your “life flash before your eyes,” but your friend was there to help you. That is what these two verses are reminding us of, God will be that hand that helps us up.

When something bad happens, or we slip in our spiritual life, it can cause a lot of anxiety. Faith is that friend that helps us in this life. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” We may not always see God’s hand reaching out to save us when we slip, but God is there no matter how much anxiety we may experience. God can replace our anxieties with joy, so that the perceptions of our human condition become a cause for celebration.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

— Luke 12:6-7

We have probably all experienced periods of low self-esteem. We have insecurities in one form or another, but insecurity is not the same as humility. God’s word calls us to be humble. It calls us to have a humble heart, but humility is not about thinking lowly of ourselves. Whenever we start to view ourselves the way that God does, we start valuing and seeing our worth based on how God determines it. Instead of basing our confidence on how the world determines our worth. God has a purpose for all of us. Jeremiah 29:11says, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Ephesians 2:10 is one of the verses that tell us what God has planned for us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” The Bible tells us that no matter what our plans are. Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” God’s plan for us, whether it is something we recognize or not, is what guides us through life. It is through those plans that we find purpose, and having a purpose shows how much we are worth in God’s eyes. Trusting God’s plan can be difficult when there is so much unknown, but faith allows us to look past the unknown.

Whenever we spend time studying God’s word, listening to the truth, spending time in prayer, we stop determining our worth the way that the world does, and we start to determine our worth the way God does. Whenever we start to do that, feelings of insecurity or feelings of low self-esteem are going to diminish because you aren’t basing your worth the same way. Worldly self-esteem bases our worth on appearance, possessions, and accomplishments. Whether high or low, this kind of esteem is prideful, focuses on us, and doesn’t add value to our life. It minimizes our potential for growth and influence. On the other hand, self-image based upon the value God has placed on us is Christ-centered and goes far beyond what we can dream or imagine. If we are a believer who wants to be a leader, we must live as someone valued by God.

Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us to put our complete trust in God because his ways and plans are always better than our own and to trust that everything included in His plan is for a greater good. Isaiah 55:8-9 says “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my life, it’s that God’s plans are always greater than my own. Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer, so I went to college to study history and prepare for law school. However, I worked for a lawyer for several years in college and saw just how much lawyers who fight for the right things struggle. I realized that if I went to law school and racked up a huge debt, I would end up taking a job that would not be morally satisfying. When I did not get into the law school I wanted, I began looking at alternatives. I had always thought that even if I became a lawyer, I’d like to still teach. Eventually, I decided what I really wanted more than anything was to teach. My life took a different direction from the one I had planned.

I went to graduate school planning to get my master’s in history and find a teaching job. That did not work out as planned, and I decided to continue my studies and get my PhD. I wanted to be a college professor, and when I started this blog, I chose “The Closet Professor” as the title to reflect that. However, circumstances were against me, and I ended up teaching high school. Partly because of this, I did not finish my dissertation and therefore never got my PhD. I did not make much money as a teacher, but I was complacent and did not try for anything better, until one day I had to. I found myself with no teaching job. 

I was devastated, but I began to search for a new job. A position at a museum came open in Vermont, and I was perfectly qualified to fill it. After working there for three years, I found out that my job had always been a three-year grant position, and once again, I would be losing my job. However, through a series of fortunate events, my job changed to a teaching position at the museum, and I was also given the rank of assistant professor. Through a series of unfortunate events, I was able to leave my closeted life in conservative Alabama for an out and proud life in the more progressive state of Vermont. Now, I was a professor, and not closeted. The title of my blog is still a little off, but life has many twists and turns and while there were many unfortunate events along the way, I am happy where I am, and I believe this was where God wanted me to be.

I had numerous experiences in my life where the opposite of what I had wanted occurred, but it ended up being better in the long run. I’m sure, similar things have happened to all of us. We think we are on one track but find us on a different one altogether. Sometimes God gives us what we didn’t know we needed. At first, it can be hard to understand the reason why certain things happen to us, both good and bad. But in those moments, remember this: there’s a reason for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. It might not always be our own plans that are being fulfilled; however, God’s plans for us will always be fulfilled. 

I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and that everything we endure is part of God’s plan for us. I know it can be nerve-wracking not knowing why things are happening to us, where we’re headed, or what our future holds, but what I can say is to completely trust that God will guide us and take care of us. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. So, when we are despondent, and we question our self-worth, remember that God give us purpose. He has a plan for us, and we are worth more than we can imagine. Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have rejected him. For God does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

—1 Samuel 16:7

I’m sure we all see handsome men every day and think about how good-looking they are. It is often the outward appearance that makes us notice a person. Sometimes, we just catch a glimpse of them. You might see a guy running shirtless as you’re driving down the street. I love to people-watch. It’s always nice when you see an attractive person. Like most of us, I enjoy eye candy. Considering the pictures I post, that should be obvious. But, how often have you met a really attractive person, and they have a terrible attitude or personality. 

People too often judge the character and worth of someone by their outward appearance. If a person is tall, good-looking, well-built, and tastefully dressed, then he possesses physical qualities that we generally admire and respect. I personally love a guy with good hair and a nice smile. A nice behind isn’t too bad either. People often look at these beautiful people and seek them as leaders, if nothing else than leaders in fitness or fashion. Whatever we see outwardly in a person, God has the unique ability to see inside a person. God knows our true character because he “looks at the heart.”

In 1 Samuel 16, the time had come for Samuel to go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint Israel’s next king. As Samuel looked at Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, Samuel was impressed with what he saw and said in 1 Samuel 16:6,  “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” But God told Samuel in the next verse, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have rejected him. For God does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Saul, Israel’s first king, was tall and handsome. Samuel may have been looking for someone like Saul, and Eliab’s appearance was said to be quite striking. But God had a different man in mind to anoint as Israel’s king. The Lord had earlier revealed to the prophet in 1 Samuel 13:14 that “The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart.” Samuel looked at all seven of Jesse’s older sons, but the Lord rejected them all as His choice for king. God was looking for one who had a faithful heart. David, Jesse’s youngest son, whom they had not even bothered to call, was out tending the sheep. After Samuel passed over the other sons, they sent for David, and the Lord said in 1 Samuel 16:12 “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” David was God’s choice—imperfect but faithful, a man after God’s heart. Although the Bible says in the first part of 1 Samuel 16:12 that David was “ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking,” David was not considered a striking figure. But David had developed a heart after God. In his time alone in the fields, shepherding the flocks, David had come to know God as his Shepherd (see Psalm 23).

Appearances can be deceiving. The outward appearance doesn’t reveal what people are really like. Physical looks don’t show us a person’s value, character, integrity, or faithfulness. Outward qualities are, by definition, superficial. Moral and spiritual considerations are far more important to God and should be more important to us. God looks at the heart. The heart in the Bible is a person’s inner, moral, and spiritual life. Proverbs 4:23 explains, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” The heart is the core, the inner essence of who we are. Luke 6:45 says, “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.” God knows our true selves, and His perspective is higher, deeper, and wiser than ours.

King David was far from perfect. He committed adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11). But God saw in David a man of deep, abiding faith who was wholly committed to the Lord. We do not have to be perfect to be a faithful Christian. In David, God saw a man who would depend on the Lord for strength and guidance. God saw a man who would recognize his sin and failure and who would repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness. God saw in David a man who loved his Lord; a man who worshiped his Lord with all his being; a man who experienced God’s forgiveness, and came to understand the depths of God’s love for him. God saw a man with a sincere and personal relationship with his Creator. When God looked at the heart of David, He saw a man after His own heart. Acts 13:22 says, “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’”

Like Samuel, we can’t see what the Lord sees, and we must rely on Him for wisdom. And we can trust that, when God looks at our hearts, He sees our faithfulness, our true character, and our value as individuals. Sometimes, a person’s outer appearance doesn’t match their inner appearance. Then again, he might just be having a bad day. The point is, that we can’t judge a person by their appearance. We shouldn’t be judging people at all. God is who sees who we truly are. The inner person often comes out in someone when it is too late to see how rotten they are inside. Hate and misery will rot a person from the inside, but love and happiness will allow our inner beauty to shine, no matter what our outward appearance shows.

Now faith is the realization of things hoped for, the confidence of things not seen.

–Hebrews 11:1

Dictionary.com defines faith as a strong or unshakeable belief in something, especially without proof or evidence. The Bible defines faith as in  Hebrews 11:1 where we see that the central feature of faith is confidence or trust. In the Bible, the object of faith is God and his promises. Genuine biblical faith expresses itself in everyday life. In James 2:17, James tells us “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” In James 2:24, he goes on to say “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.”

Faith works through love to produce tangible evidence of its existence in a person’s life. In Galatians 5:6, Paul writes, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” Put another way, the obedience that pleases God comes from faith. Romans 1:5 says, “Through Him, we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name.” If we live selflessly and show kindness and generosity to others, we show our faith through our good works.

Sometimes, we put our faith in something, such as the rule of law. We have faith that the U.S. Constitution will guarantee we remain a free and democratic country. However, if we go by faith alone, that’s not going to be true. To make it happen, we have to go vote and vote for a candidate that upholds the virtues of the Constitution. The Preamble of the Constitution says, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” However, we cannot just live as though these words will protect us. We have to actively pursue these ideals, whether it is at the ballot box, by writing those who represent us in Congress, or by petitions and protests.

Just as James wrote that faith without works is dead, we cannot take it on faith that democracy will survive any more than Christianity will survive through only faith. The United States has more people who do not believe in religion than people who do. It is because our churches have relied on incorrect and dogmatic representations of faith that do not follow Christ’s teachings. They push out and persecute those who do not conform to their narrow interpretations of God. How many LGBTQ+ individuals do you know who still have faith in God? The number is not the majority of the LGBTQ+ community and that is because they have been consistently persecuted by churches and family and “friends” who do not follow what Christ actually taught. They are not accepting of the fact that we are how God made us. They cannot believe in their narrow minds that God created someone who they think is wrong and so they persecute what they do not understand and what causes them fear. They fear a loss of control of the mind, body, and soul. Because of this, people have lost their faith because the “faith” of others is not backed up by their works.

So remember, we have to work to show our faith in what we do, how we live, and how we treat others. If we do not do that, how can others have faith in our beliefs?

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

—James 1:14-15

I’m going to be honest, I have had some “sinful thoughts” over the past week, especially after an assassination attempt on the former president and the Republican National Convention being held. I admit, I often have unkind thoughts when I think of Republicans. I think we are on the precipice of either retaining democracy or slipping into fascism. It is happening around the world, and so far, countries have chosen democracy. I think you can imagine the kinds of thoughts I had after the events of the last week or so, and I’m talking more than just yelling “Lying son of a bitch” at the TV when a Republican is spouting either insincere compassion or outright lies.

In 1976, Jimmy Carter was running for president, He shocked voters when he admitted during a Playboy magazine interview that he had “looked on a lot of women with lust” and “committed adultery in my heart many times.” Carter narrowly won his White House bid, but he would later say that public outrage over his confession “nearly cost me the election.” Carter probably had in mind Matthew 5:27-28 in which Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” I think all of us can probably say that every time we look at someone with lust or have unkind thoughts about someone, then we are all in a handbasket on our way to hell. I have never believed that just thinking of committing a sin was an actual sin. I think we know enough about psychology to know that we cannot always control our thoughts.

So, when is it considered a sin if we only think about committing a sin but do not commit the actual sin? Sins can indeed be committed both in our minds and by our actions. Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[Empty head] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” We can sin in our minds: for example by being angry with someone, but the simple thoughts are not enough to be a sin. I believe that the anger Jesus spoke of is the anger that causes us to treat someone unfairly and to show them our anger, not just having angry thoughts about them. Over the weekend, I certainly had some angry thoughts when I kept getting emails from work demanding that I answer them ASAP, especially when I did not consider the matter something that could not wait until Monday, but I never responded in an email what I was actually thinking because it would have been hurtful to a person that I know is under a great deal of stress. Still, I am not going to work on a weekend if I am not getting paid to do so. In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus said a person can commit the sin of murder both by action and by becoming angry. For the anger motivates the action. 

God restates this principle in a different way in Matthew 5:27-28 quoted above that Carter used as his reasoning for committing adultery in his heart. It is an illustration most people understand. We see someone and start thinking about that person because we are sexually attracted to them. The Greek word for “looks” in verse 28 is a present participle in the Greek language. That means the person continues thinking sexually or lusting about the person. The message of Jesus is that sin does not occur if we look, are sexually attracted, and continue thinking about the person. That is not a sin. But if we look and obsessively think lustful thoughts about the person to the point of neglecting other things, then we sin in our minds or hearts. That is, a thought or an emotion occurs and if we do not control our thoughts, it results in adultery. That is the message of Jesus. Both passages from Matthew are great illustrations of how sin occurs.

It is not a sin to be quickly angry. It is not a sin to be sexually attracted to someone. It is not a sin to think that a man is handsome or has great character and that he might be a very romantic husband. It is not a sin to be physically attracted to a woman. But if a married man or woman goes further and starts dreaming about having sex, being kissed, or having sex with someone other than his or her spouse to the point when they neglect their spouse, then he or she has sinned. James reveals that sin does not occur when the emotion, thought, or passion first comes. But if those thoughts lead to passive or active responses, then sin occurs when we give in to the emotion, thought, or passion by dwelling on it and allowing it to affect how we handle things in life outside of our thoughts. That is Jesus’ message in Matthew 15:18-19 when He says, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”

So, how should we respond to temptations to sin? God gave Cain the answer in Genesis 4:7. He said, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” That is, sin wants to force us to do what it wants. Sin is a desire that wants us to yield to it. So, what will you do? A person sins by dwelling on something to the point of leading to some action on the thoughts that God has told us to avoid. When we sin on the outside or outwardly, we demonstrate to God, to others, and to ourselves that we have already sinned on the inside. God has asked us to resist the temptation to sin by fleeing from it. We are not supposed to see how close we can come without sinning. Fleeing starts with avoiding thoughts about sin. Second Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

So, while I may have thought about a certain bullet being two inches to the right, I would never actually do anything to encourage someone else or do anything myself to make that happen. That is the difference between thinking a sin and committing a sin. It is the action we take. The only actions I will take are to speak out against the fascist rhetoric in politics, point out the hypocrisy when someone insincerely calls for unity and peace while in the next breath spewing hateful speech, and vote against those people on election day. These are the actions that are just. These are the actions that Jesus calls on us to take. We are to do lawful things and in line with His teachings, no matter what our brains cause us to think. When sinful thoughts reflect back on us because of the way we act, then we have committed that sin, but if we take action to not fall prey to the temptation of our thoughts, then we are not sinning in the eyes of God.