Rats in the Cellar
By Elin Henderson
“But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’”
Matthew 15:18
Have you ever been caught off guard as something pretty scary springs forth from your mouth? You wonder, “Where in the world did that come from?” Recently I came across a wonderful analogy by C.S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity in regards to these “momentary lapses.” Indeed, they are not momentary, but a true look at what is within us. By Elin Henderson
“But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’”
Matthew 15:18
Mr. Lewis gives the example of rats in the cellar. He says, “If there are rats in your cellar, you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But, the suddenness does not create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding…The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in noisily they will have taken cover by the time you switch on the light.” (1)
So, what is it that sheds light into the cellar of our hearts and reveals the rats? Generally speaking, it is sudden circumstances or remarks of people that “set us off.” If we have enough time, some of us can take a deep breath, and squelch that rat that just scurried out, or better yet, pretend we never saw it to begin with. Sound familiar? We are all guilty of shifting the blame and defending our innocence. Yet in our verse for today, Jesus reminds the Pharisees, that out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Everything that comes into our life comes through Him, even horrible situations that catch us off guard. And these circumstances simply reveal the ugliness in our hearts and show us areas we need to commit anew to the Lord.
So, the next time someone cuts you off on the highway, you stub your toe on the coffee table or someone just says something that “irks” you to the core, remember, a light just suddenly came on in the cellar. Don’t be surprised if a rat jumps out…just don’t let it run free and wild! Right away, recognize that negative reaction and commit it to the Lord. And, don’t be surprised if it happens again. We have a never-ending supply of rats! But, don’t lose heart either. Christ, through the shedding of His light, not only reveals the rats, but also gives us the victory over them! We are more than conquerors in Him!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What circumstance catches you off guard, revealing the “rats” in the cellar of your heart? Are you willing to let the Lord change you in this area?
FURTHER READING:
Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 4:16
(1) Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. p 166. Touchstone. New York, NY. 1980.
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to nine-year-old Callie and six-year-old Elias.
