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Did you ever have a guest show up at your house unexpectedly, and you were rushing around trying to put things away and make the place look respectable? That’s probably happened to all of us. Well, just suppose Jesus knocked on the door of your heart, your home, today and unexpectedly made an inspection tour. Is there anything hidden away there that you wouldn’t want him to see?
What do you have in that locked closet?
• A complaining and negative attitude
Have you ignored that verse that says “Do everything without complaining or arguing” (Philippians 2:14)? If you will clean out that closet and get that negative attitude out of there, you’re going to discover how much easier it is to get through the day. A complaining and negative attitude discourages everyone who comes near you, and it stresses you out more than any other thing you can do to yourself.
• An uncontrolled tongue
When our tongues are out of control, our whole personality is out of control, James tells us. Does the King, who lives in your house, have to listen to your tongue using words like bullets? I remember a man in one of my business classes telling me that he seemed to get his foot in his mouth frequently and cause problems with customers. In order to help him, his boss suggested that he record all of his phone conversations with customers, and then his boss would listen to those tapes and critique them, to help him improve. He said, “Mary, you wouldn’t believe how much I improved overnight, when I realized my boss was going to be listening to everything I said to the customers.”
Well, if you and I were daily aware that every word we say is being listened to by the King, and furthermore, we will give an account for every idle word we speak, don’t you think that would go a long way toward getting that tongue under control? Just imagine that everything you say is being listened to and recorded by Jesus. It will change the way you talk. Gossip will stop; unkind words will stop; criticism will stop; judgmental words will stop; sarcastic words will stop—and on and on. By the way, he is listening to every word you say.
Remember, the King lives in your house; your house is a temple of the Holy Spirit; you belong to Jesus. He has a right to every corner, including that closet you’ve kept shut for so long. Clean it out today and be free!
