Put Your Heart Into It

Solomon says… “There’s a time to keep silence and a time to speak.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7 NKJV) Now, you shouldn’t interrupt the church service and draw attention to yourself, but when it’s time to praise God, you should give it a hundred percent: “I will praise You, O Lord, with  my whole heart.” (Psalms 9:1 NKJV) The story is told of an old man named Joe, who’d been a drunk and a derelict most of his life and, as a result, he could barely make ends meet.

During a Sunday morning service he gave his life to Christ and the transformation was so radical that everybody in the congregation noticed it. Joe had a problem; however, he was so thrilled with Jesus that he sang louder than everybody else. And when the pastor made a point that touched his heart, he’d jump up and shout, “Halleluyah!” Concerned that the dignity and decorum of the church were at risk, the pastor said, “Joe, you’ve got to be quiet. As a matter of fact, if you’ll just sit in church and say nothing, next Sunday I’ll buy you a new pair of boots.”

Joe needed the boots, so he said he’d try but after restraining himself through several high points in the sermon, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He jumped up and shouted, “Boots or no boots, I’m gonna praise the Lord!” You say, “… but I’m the quiet reserved type.” Sorry, there are no exceptions based on personality types if praise is in the heart. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6) In other words, unless you’re dead, you’re supposed to praise the Lord!