Cliche: Look Within

Today I saw yet another bad church sign message outside a local Christian congregation. It stated:

LOOK NOT BEHIND OR AHEAD,

BUT WITHIN

Christians should know better. Never does God’s Word call us to look within. Why? Because looking within is looking to one’s own heart. And what do you find there? Jesus says:

“What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” [Mark 7:20-23]

Instead of looking within, the Christian looks outside of himself to Jesus. Always. The author of Hebrews writes:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:1-2]

Even the Holy Spirit, who was given in Holy Baptism and now “dwells within us” (2 Timothy 1:14), bears witness about Jesus (John 15:26). In other words, He focuses our eyes and ears, our thoughts and desires, on Jesus. Thus, do not look within. Look to Jesus. Always!