Wholeheartedness

Wholehearted…

There is the saying, “Silence is golden,” yet we know this is not always the case. Oftentimes silence can cast a shadow, creating division and unrest, perhaps worse than words of ill will. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

As with so many things, there are appropriate times and places for silence, as well as ones for speaking out and making noise. While the times and places may vary, what is to be held back and what is to be spoken is best done prayerfully, with an open heart and mind.

In Psalm 95, it is written, “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” It is easy for our minds to conjure up an image or description of a hardened heart. Surely, a person with a hardened heart is easy to spot… angry, grumpy, bitter, frowning, self-righteous, etc. However, a hardened heart is also, among other things, one that is superficial, looks the other way in the face of wrongs, or causes one to remain silent at a time that calls for speaking out. A hardened heart, at its root is self-serving and self-interested. It cannot be judged solely by appearance, and if being honest, we all have times in our lives or instances where, whether we realize it or not, a part of our heart, is in fact, hardened.

We are all called to live authentically in both word and deed. Throughout our lives, we are called to face challenges when the temptation might be to recoil from them. This is something that is only possible with a pliable heart… one that is intent on listening to the Voice that truly matters.

“If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”

PLUM2G

 

Harvesting Joy…

In the neighborhood where I grew up, an older, very kindhearted couple lived at the end of the street. Each fall afternoon, over the course of a number of weeks, the neighborhood children would gather in their front yard to collect chestnuts freshly dropped from the two huge trees that adorned their lawn.

As I think back, I do not recall anyone ever asking permission. Somehow, though, it was a privilege extended to school aged children from one year to the next. I am not sure that any of us knew how it started, but undeniably, the couple received our presence just as graciously as they offered their harvest. You see, they also had a beautiful vegetable garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, and zucchini among other things. The husband would walk down the street every so often to deliver a bag full of fresh produce to our door. The gift of his presence, generosity, and kindness along with the delicious, wholesome vegetables that he and his wife had nurtured and delivered with great love brought much abundance and joy to them, that they, in turn, shared with their neighbors.

While I did not know much about this couple as a child, or even later, what I witnessed in them spoke volumes and stuck better than glue. They put their heart and soul into their work; work that was meaningful and that could be of service to many. As a result, their garden overflowed not only with produce but also in spirit. Rather than storing it all away or letting it become spoiled, Wisdom led them to open their store to others. They received as well as they gave of themselves, and their harvest. In the end, with generosity, they reaped joy.

ChestnutsBasket