Checklist Christians?

We are human so we can easily get caught up in the checklist approach to life. They keep us organized and on track. Make sure we get what we need done and then we check off the complete tasks and move to the next one on the list. And while lists are great (I’m very much a list maker and checker), they can make life very empty if all we do is focus on the list. Our actions become mindless because all we are really thinking about is finishing the list. the checklist lifestyle is extremely dangerous if we use it in how we approach God and His commandments.

God does not want us to view His commandments and living a Godly life through our checklist approach. Why? Because it’s hollow. Yes – they may keep us on track. And yes – we may accomplish loads. But if we make a check list of God’s commandments and check them off we easily become focused on outward demonstrates of our godly choices because well they are easier to do and to check off the list.

Don’t swear or use profane language. ✅
Go to worship. ✅
Contribute to the Lord’s work. ✅
Don’t engage in sexually immoral acts. ✅
Don’t steal. ✅
Don’t murder. ✅

That type of list can go on and on. And don’t get me wrong – those are all commandments God has given us. We must do them but if that’s all we do…if we boil down our Godly life to a checklist then we are missing the weighted and harder commandments because those deal with the heart and mind.

Solomon tells us it is better to be righteous and just than to merely sacrifice. I wonder if David taught him about King Saul and how Saul repeated offered sacrifices but did so without a righteous heart… how those empty vain sacrifices cost Saul everything.

Righteousness means to embody God’s character. We try to imitate God who is the Righteous One (as Solomon describes Him later in Proverbs 21). This means all of our actions and thoughts and motives need to be first led by our decision to try to be like God. But if we just go through the motions of “doing right” without trying to completely remake and mold ourselves into God’s character…then all those right actions and sacrifices are meaningless to God.

Justice is fairness. We must live a life rooted in fairness to others. We must see everyone equally and love everyone the way the Lord does. God shows no favorites. He loves all. God tries to help every soul return to Him. He gives everyone the same chance and the same opportunity. If we show favoritism or worse live a life of prejudice, then we are so far away from God’s nature no about of sacrifice gets us closer to Him.

Ultimately what Solomon is teaching us in this proverb is that sacrificing – checklisting God’s commandments – means nothing to God if it doesn’t come from a heart trying it’s absolute best to be rooted in God’s own character. Our religious acts, our acts of sacrifice and outward obedience are hollow to God if our heart is dedicated to being more like Him. Those outward checks are empty if all they are is to say we’ve done them while inwardly our hearts look nothing like God’s character.

So, keep the list and even check it twice BUT put at the top – keep my heart right. Ask God to help you embody His nature in your heart each and every day. Besides, if you do that every day, the rest of the “list” comes naturally.