Sometimes one word can make all the difference!

For example, "may" in a legal document is entirely different from "shall." The first makes an action optional; the second makes it an obligation.

In Jesus's teachings in Matthew 5, two words (7 letters) in the 6th Beatitude make all the difference -- not only for the original audience but for us.

"Blessed are the pure" is an entirely different message than "Blessed are the pure -- in heart!"

In the original audience's culture, "purity" had descended to an exhaustive (and exhausting) list of "thou shalt's and thou shalt not's." Over the centuries people had added their own items to God's original list of moral, ceremonial (instructions on how to worship God), and civil (political) laws. These were easy to measure because they were external.

Yet these additions corrupted the entire purpose for the laws -- just as some of our laws today become more about serving a system than the people for whom the system was originally designed!

But "purity" based culture, wearing a "Christian" tag, is still around. It might be subtle to-do's that infer a higher Christian maturity -- like early morning "quiet time" ranking higher than mid-afternoon "quiet time." Or it may be stringent formulas like those taught during the height of the "purity-culture" movement which shared elements with cults.

The addition of Jesus' two words -- "in heart" -- made (and still make) all the difference! True purity always works from the inside out, not the reverse.

We unpack this truth today and look at how we can assess our own hearts.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

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#lifeskey3

Robert Frost's immortal poem, "The Road Not Taken" speaks to the impact our choices make. This ability is hardwired into us, yet we often struggle to teach our kids (or use ourselves) a framework for how to make good choices.

Today's episode unpacks the A-LASO method.

A--Appreciate the ability to chose. This perspective helps move us into a posture of humility and stewardship.

L -- Listen to voices which honor God. This is especially critical in a time where technology has made millions of voices accessible to our kids.

A -- Ask God. How differently the world would be if Eve had said, "Mr. Serpent, I'm going to ask God about what you're saying before I try that fruit."

S -- Speak into other people's lives about the choices they're making. There's a difference between sticking our nose where it doesn't belong and remaining quiet because of fear of ridicule or abandonment or conflict.

O -- Obey. Even when it's not clear why it matters.

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Book Stephanie to speak to your women, parents, Christian educators, and students.

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Remember the song lyrics, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love?"

It's as true now as then, even though what "love" looks like is still not universally agreed on.

One trait, however, that tends to be recognized -- even if not practiced -- is mercy.

This is one of the characteristics that Jesus declared marked people who lived in the kingdom of God. Mercy is not merely emotion; nor is it automatically marked by action. It is both the experience of deeply feeling someone else's need and then doing something about it.

Yet "compassion fatigue" presents a legitimate problem. How can a person avoid this modern dilemma while retaining and even growing a heart of mercy?

Is mercy simply "letting someone off the hook?"

Does mercy restore trust?

Does mercy oppose justice?

We unpack the 5th "Beatitude" and discover the power of mercy in stories ranging from Jesus' parables to Guy de Maupassant's masterpiece, "The Necklace."

Empower yourself and your family to engage fully in God’s grand story. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Book Stephanie to speak to your women, parents, Christian educators, and students.

#spirituallystrong

#emotionalhealth

#relationships

#bible

#faith

#truth

#biblestudy

#christianfaith

#christianwomen

#christianity

#lifeskey3

#mercy

#forgiveness