All About The Heart

This week, my wife and I attended a Joss Stone concert. She has long been one of my wife's favorite artists, and when we had the opportunity to score tickets, I pounced.

Our tickets had us very close to the stage, and she did not disappoint! Her part of the concert was incredibly entertaining, and I am convinced she possesses one of the most beautiful voices that we will ever hear this side of heaven.

During a segment of her performance, she spoke of love and relationships, and then, as if she was trying to convince the audience, stated, "We really are better together and the world could certainly use a lot more love."

This statement brought cheers and roars from the small crowd.

People stood and applauded, many were giving the I love you sign while others shouted out their affection for Joss. For a moment you felt that all of the people who came to see this artist truly were united and together.

However, this collective feel-good vibe did not last long, at least not in our section.

As she continued to play, there were several people in the first few rows who stood (this was not the standing type of concert) only to block the view of the others behind them. Despite the requests to be seated from those who were blocked, those who chose to stand persisted, and with that, the tension rose.

Within minutes, there was shouting, arguing, shoving, middle fingers being displayed, and a call for security to escort one of the men, who just minutes before was full of love, out of the building as he spewed profanity.

It was a small blight on an otherwise wonderful evening, but it clearly got me thinking.

It Will Come Out

The Gospel of Luke records Jesus speaking to His disciples, whom he had just chosen. During his discourse, he says the following . . .

"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."

Jesus is clear in His statement to His 12; it is all about our heart.

It is the heart that keeps the score and eventually will be the thing that reveals what we are all about; there is no way we can keep it hidden.

Keeping It Clean

There are all kinds of things that we can indulge in that can invade and taint our hearts. Past hurts, evil thoughts, our circle of friends, what we listen to, what we watch, social media, etc. There are so many things that if we allow them can and will, over time, eat away at our hearts.

It may be why the Psalmist wrote these two prayers regarding his heart, which we would be wise to pray today.

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

and

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."

As people who have been born with a sin nature, our hearts are naturally inclined to the unaccepatbale things of God, which is why we need to meditate on His word and pray for Him to cleanse our heart.

As we come to an end of the work week and enter the weekend, my prayer is that we may all focus on our hearts and that what comes out of our mouths reveals hearts that are clean and acceptable in His sight.

On The Journey With You,

Carlos

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This edition was first published in The Life Design Newsletter on LinkedIn.