We were driving in Dallas, and my son was full of random questions.
“Mommy, how come some places look cool on the outside but on the inside, they are bad?”
This question gave me pause and I realized it could be a teaching moment.
“Well buddy, probably because they didn’t take care of the inside. They let it go.”
He was quiet for a while and then my daughter responded matter-of-factly, “Oh yea, probably because they don’t like to clean- like you, Bubba.”
We all laughed and then I said, “You know, sometimes people do this too, they care more about their outward appearance while their hearts become unkind. In the Bible Jesus says we need to take care of our hearts.”
For a kid, this might seem like an easy task. Just be nice to people and love God – done!
But you and I know sometimes taking care of our heart is HARD!
How many times have we let anger get the best of us? Maybe we let it grow for days and then someone cuts you off in traffic and that sets you off into a yelling rage.
Maybe you have been hurt, and now you project that hurt onto others. (hurt people, hurt people)
Or maybe your worst scenario has come true, and your heart is filled with hopelessness, forgetting the promises of God.
We can pour all our time and energy into appearing put together on the outside, while quietly neglecting the condition of our hearts.
We let it go.
In the Bible, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for focusing on outward appearances and neglecting their hearts.
“You are like manicured grave plots, grass clipped and the flowers bright, but six feet down it’s all rotting bones and worm-eaten flesh. People look at you and think you’re saints, but beneath the skin you’re total frauds.” (Matthew 23: 27-28 MSG)
How much time do we spend getting ready in front of the mirror compared to time spent in God’s word? If we are honest, we probably need to spend more time preparing our hearts for the day.
When you start your morning with Jesus, his peace and joy can carry you through whatever the day brings.
There was a time in my life where I looked ok on the outside, but my heart wasn’t. A lot of bad things had happened, and I didn’t know how to have a joyful heart. If you can relate, you know it’s not a fun place to be.
Bad things happen and life keeps moving.
The other day I was blowing bubbles with my kids. Their favorite thing to do is pop the bubbles. Ever wondered why it’s so easy to pop a bubble? Google says because “bubbles are a thin layer of soapy water, and this thin layer is inherently fragile. Any disruption to this fragile layer, like a touch, can break the surface tension, causing the bubble to collapse.”
Our hearts are fragile too, and if we aren’t careful the destructive things we do and think can enter our hearts and “collapse.”
But God.
He can fix your broken heart.
He can give you hope.
He can restore your joy.
Thank God, he cares about our hearts!
I’m so glad he didn’t leave me in pieces. He put me back together even better than before.
I want that for you too! If you have neglected your heart, it’s time to start cleaning.
