Tattle Tales

God demands complete allegiance. The total commitment of heart He requires is easily professed and easily sung about. Honestly, it can be easily pretended. But our hearts can’t keep secrets forever. They have a way of telling on themselves. Like the stereotypical childhood tattle tale who delights in pointing out the mistakes of others, our priorities reveal much about the heart from which they came.

Our hearts were created to worship, and worship they will. As Rev. Daniel Taylor put it, "Everybody sacrifices to their god." A quick priority check reveals what truly has our allegiance.

Where am I most willing to sacrifice my time?

Where am I most willing to give my money, even if it hurts?

What do I always make sure gets accomplished, even if it's at the expense of something else?

These questions can be a bit uncomfortable. Sometimes they reveal a stark contrast between what we claim to be a priority, and what we have actually made a priority. The tattle tale called priorities reveal what we may not be honest enough to admit to ourselves. The tattle tale never lies. What has our priorities, has our heart.

The saying goes that no one likes a tattle tale. And that may be true. But tattles tales sound the alarm that something or someone is taking over first place in our heart. We may not like a tattle tale. But sometimes we need one.

No other gods. That is what God requires. Living free begins with a heart that is His first- and His alone.