Heart of Love

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 NIV

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12 NIV

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34,35 NIV

Every spring I look forward to the perennials that emerge from the ground, awakening with life and green vibrancy. One plant that I have always been fascinated with is the bleeding heart. Even as a kid, I remember marveling at how little heart shaped flowers form and hang precariously from such a delicate plant. While on a walk recently, I happened to see a bleeding heart that had grown from what seemed like a desolate place. There were twigs, dead branches, brush, and debris. Yet, in the middle of the mess was beauty. It made me think of the messy world that we live in and how we are called to still show love and beauty even in the most bleak places. In the negative spaces where things seem nonsensical, our call is to be a creation of compassion. 

Now, I am fully aware that the saying “bleeding heart” can be derogatory and refer to someone who is overly sympathetic without much substance.  But, there is much substance and meaning when we look at our circumstances as a chance to show love and live out the commandment Christ gave to us…to love one another. Our hearts should become softer when we follow Christ’s example and teachings.  Our time here on this very imperfect earth with pain and problems is our chance to show our soft hearts and reveal the goodness of God to a world that is weary, wounded, and worried.

Let’s be honest, there is a lot of chaos these days, with extremes in opinion, ethical issues, and never ending enemy lines being drawn. If we turn to hate, what will that show? But if we demonstrate love, it can only point back to God, who is love. He showed us how much he loved us by sacrificing his only son so he would pay the price for our sins, giving us a chance for restored life now and eternal reward later. He wants us to live in the knowledge of this love and show it…a love that is soft, tender, and strikingly different from the harsh and bleak surroundings we often encounter. And while it might require purposeful effort, God can grow beauty from the painful places, heal hurting and hardened hearts, and make miracles from the messes when we live in the light of his love.