This life is not about a performance to be witnessed but a rescued heart ignited.

Performances are acts with “action” and “cut” as their bookends, whereas the rescued heart is a continual blaze without pause giving the world a correct summation of Christ!

This Christmas, are you a performer or a rescued heart? As Christians celebrate the incarnation of their dear Savior Redeemer, they have the privilege to shine for Jesus. And nothing shines brighter than a “humble” rescued heart! True humility comes from knowing what we continually are rescued from:

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed

• Evil thoughts
• Sexual immorality
• Theft
• Murder
• Adultery
• Greed
• Wickedness
• Deceit
• Lustful desires
• Envy
• Slander
• Pride
• Foolishness

All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man, usually covered by performances (Mark 7:21-23).

What a shocker! When I spend time with The Word my ugly heart has nowhere to hide. It is open and exposed (Hebrews 4:12). It’s easy to skim over these passages as if they don’t apply to me. But if I don’t allow the refining work of the Holy Spirit access to uncover these hidden sins, I just become a performer in the world of entertainment. The cure is to seek His mercy and grace for every weakness (Hebrews 4:16) and spend time with Him, persistently. That’s a heart ignited!

Loving God with ALL my heart (Mark 12:30) keeps my performances under wraps and my light shining bright like the star of Bethlehem offering the world a light to follow (Ephesians 5:8). That’s a heart ignited!

So thankful for a “humble” Savior (Isaiah 53:7) Who came into the world (John 3:16) to fix my heart problem and die for sinners (Isaiah 53:11) just like me! That’s a heart ignited!

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:3-11, NLT)

The rescued heart is a continual blaze without pause giving the world a correct summation of Christ!

Has your heart been rescued and ignited?

Do yourself a favor and look up the Scripture references. You’ll be glad you did! And when you read Ephesians 5:8, read the whole chapter. It’s a good one!