Checking out our hearts - NYC.

While it seems springtime edged out winter in Southern California, it was just the opposite this spring on the Eastern seaboard. Winter was long and harsh. While in New York City this past weekend, people were thoroughly enjoying their first consistent springtime temperatures.  The streets of Greenwich Village and SoHo were packed with folks, shopping, drinking coffee, playing basketball and roller hockey in the park . . . whatever they could do to soak up some sunshine in their short sleeves and breathe in the fresh air.  Before I went to New York City some 25 years ago, I had the mistaken impression that it was a concrete jungle… not so.  Flying over Manhattan, one can see the many tree-lined streets and city parks, and of course, beautiful Central Park is big and so beautiful, no matter the season of the year.  The above picture is one of the canopied streets in Brooklyn Heights, my most favorite area.  On Sunday afternoon, I got to see lovely Amaris (from the Lucky Brand store) again—who I met last year and added onto Morning Briefings.  She recognized me instantly and we embraced several times; it was wonderful.  Indeed Spring has finally come to New York and people are delighted!

Meanwhile back in Southern California, we have really not experienced much cold weather, and certainly not enough rain. So earlier than usual, my roses have already bloomed through a full cycle and are ready to make another show of themselves.  Last week before I left, I purchased some lobelia to set in the ground to fill out some areas of color in my front garden.  As I pointed the tip of my little shovel in the ground where I wanted to place them, I encountered dry, rocky soil; the earth was quite difficult to penetrate!  ‘Huh,’ I thought, ‘even if I get these in the ground, will they grow here?’ 

Fact is, things do not grow where the environment is hard, rocky or hostile.  And what is true in the garden soil is also true of our hearts.  Sin causes a hostile environment; indeed, from the moment, Adam and Eve made their choice to do the one and only thing God instructed them not to do, sin entered the world.  Their hearts were irrevocably changed, as they were now subject to decay, and also to hardness, callousness and apathy, all born of their selfish pride. 

Hardness of heart is like that rocky soil of mine, you know, though of course a hard heart is far worse than rocky ground!  Not surprisingly, Jesus referred to the heart quite a bit in the Gospels.  He could not abide hardness of heart; for instance, Mark records Jesus being grieved over hard hearts several times; hard hearts are not teachable hearts.  The callousness of the religious zealots and Pharisees infuriated Jesus; he would far rather spend his time with those who had open hearts and minds, even if those belonged to loose women, simple fishermen or tax collectors.  Hard hearts are difficult to work with, and not the least bit compassionate toward others. 

God wants us to surrender all of who we are to him; after all, he didn’t just give us half of Jesus, did he?  When teachers of the Law tried to trip up Jesus, by backing him into a corner, asking which one of the commandments was the greatest - he had a ready answer. “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  Did you catch it?  We are to love God with ALL of our hearts. 

And so, as we begin to open our hearts and look inside . . . as we begin to ask ourselves this question: what would it take for me to have a healthy heart--one that is uncorrupted or hardened—like rocky soil?  I believe the first order of business must be to surrender ourselves to God, to give ourselves wholly to him, and to his ways, so that he can lead and guide us, so that he can speak to us. And when he speaks, that we are able to hear him.

Ready?  A prayer: “Dear Lord, I realize that so many times, my heart and mind are anything but pure.  I want to be wholly devoted to you.  Lead me.  Show me where I have allowed my heart to grow hard or calloused—where apathy lurks.  I might have oh, so pretty flowers in my outdoor garden, but I want to have a healthy heart that is growing toward you - for the garden of my heart, well, that is the most important one!” Amen. Be still, Friend … think. Let God search your heart.  Where is it hardened or apathetic? Ask him to soften it and give you his heart.