Try Me

In October 1958, King Records released a single titled “Try Me” by James Brown. This song is widely considered one of his most popular and influential recordings. It is a romantic song filled with devotion toward one's significant other. When I heard this song, I thought of Psalm 139:23-24, where David wrote, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This is the attitude every Christian ought to possess. We should desire for God to search us because we want Him to see what is in our hearts. Think about it this way: when we have deep love and devotion for a significant other, we want to do everything possible to show that person how much we care. We want them to examine our hearts and see the depth of our love. Do we have that same love, attitude, and devotion toward God? Do you desire to show God how much you love Him? Notice that David asks God to search both his heart and his thoughts in Psalm 139:23-24. What are we storing in our hearts and minds? Do we long for what belongs to others? Are our hearts filled with jealousy? Are our thoughts dominated by selfish ambition? Do we constantly seek whatever is easiest rather than what is right? If a person were plagued with such attitudes in a relationship with a significant other, would that relationship succeed? Certainly not. If that is true, why would such attitudes work in a relationship with God? We must make every effort to put away these sinful attitudes and grow into something better. As we mature in our relationship with God, we should continually ask Him to search our hearts and examine our thoughts. Let us heed the words of Paul in Philippians 2:3-5: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Our hearts and minds should be filled with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23).

-Waylon Blevins, 6/1/26, Rosemark church of Christ bulletin article