Cut It Off

And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut if off and throw it away. Matthew 5:30a HCSB

What you allow in your heart is serious business. So take it seriously. Be willing to say, “I will do anything it takes to ensure that my heart is in the right place.” Tom Holloday*

When I was younger, I was frightened of the scripture above. I used to think, “If I cut off one of my hands because of my sin, then I might as well cut off both of my hands and both of my feet, pull out my tongue, shove cotton down my ears, and gouge out my eyes. At different points in my life, all of these body parts have caused me to sin.

Jesus wants to radically transform our lives. He knows that sin in our lives prevents that transformation from taking place. He doesn’t so much want us to literally cut off our hands that sin as he wants us to take serious measures to guard our hearts from anything that would cause us to sin.

Lord, help me to guard my heart and fight to keep it pure.

*The Relationship Principles of Jesus