Heart Versus Behavior Change

Posted on September 28, 2007
Heart transformation or behavior change – which reveals more about whether a person is becoming like Christ?

I say heart transformation. Why?

Take my friend, Ron, 50 years old, a new Christian of one year. Ron’s been in prison and is presently on parole. He’s rough, has relationship problems and is easily ticked off. Ron's still a long way from a mature Christian.

But Christ is growing at the center of Ron’s heart. He’s considerably different than a year ago. He's been fired less this year from jobs. And he only cheezes off only half as many people as he used to. He's gradually allowing the Holy Spirit to control his mind. Romans 8:6

Considering the abuse and neglect he suffered as a child and the long years in rebellion against God, his progress, in my view, is remarkable. A testament to God’s love. You see, it’s all about Ron’s heart.

Guess what? Ron's behavior change is slowly catching up with his heart transformation. (Philippians 1:6)

For a related thought, check out my blog post this week, "A Better Job from God?" at www.garychester.org.

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