Good Ol Boy

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

I'm from the South, home of the "good ol' boys", where you will often hear, "He's cheated on his wife, but he's a good ol' boy and all." Or "He treats people like junk, but he's a good ol' boy". The term good ol' boy seems to cover most all of a man's bad actions if people like him. We have this odd deal in the south that you can live how you want and still be good. 

Like most country songs, they make out that you can have a relationship with God and live how you want , like, "5 card poker on Saturday night, church on Sunday morning." Or maybe, "The boys 'round here Drinking that ice cold beer...The boys 'round here Sending up a prayer to the man upstairs" or my favorite "If I could have a beer with Jesus". In the "Bible Belt" we seem to think that all is good if you just treat people right. If you are a good ol' boy. Get drunk, raise a little cane, have sex with your girlfriend on the creek bank, go to church on Sunday and come Monday, it'll be alright. But is that true? 

Luke 6 tells us that a bad heart produces bad and a good heart produces good, and that there is no way that a good heart produces bad. Meaning, that when a man or woman lives a lifestyle that is ungodly, no matter how nice they are or well liked, their hearts are bad. Now I do know some people who's lives are ungodly, but they honestly are as good as gold. But the thing is, that God isn't interested in gold. He paves the streets with it. 

I do want you to know that I'm not writing this out of a "better than thou" mindset or an "I do nothing wrong" attitude. I just believe that the South has painted a terrible picture for those that are lost, that our actions and lifestyle don't matter. That we can be a child of God and live how we want. That is as far from the truth as you can get. Will you be perfect after salvation? No. But you will be different. If there is no difference, there is no true salvation. 

Also realize that I'm not saying that if someone doesn't act or look saved, then they are not. I am saying that if that person is truly saved, then sooner or later they will start to look and act saved. Will they still stumble? At times, yes. But you can't be comfortable in sin with the Holy Spirit living in you. 

So what do I want others to see in me? Not a good ol' boy...but the good ol' Lord and savior Jesus Christ. 

Vern