Growing up I was referred to as “the potato heart” child. Nothing seemed to rattle my chains. I withheld compassion to others. I wouldn’t get misty eyed at lost dog movies. I was tough. I didn’t care enough to listen to other’s woes. And the only thing that seemed to get into my potato heart was divine intervention, if you know what I mean.
Knowing that I was this way, got me off the hook for a lot of things. I would hurt my brother and when my parents said, “Now Amy Rebecca, say you’re sorry like you mean it.” I would reply, “Sorrrryy.” And, that seemed to be sufficed, because hey, I have a potato heart. It’s the most you’re going to get out of me. So forget it.
If you know my older brother Bryan you know that he and I are complete opposites. He chose politics for his life’s career and I chose religion. The two things you are not allowed to mix during polite conversation. And, yes you guessed it, Bryan is the “marshmallow heart” child. The complete opposite of the potato. The marshmallow is like a sponge soaking in everything around it, it can change shapes, be smooshed and pulled. And it’s of course delicate, so don’t try any of those too hard or too much or it will break.
For the longest time I was proud of my potato heart reputation. I would see marshmallow hearts all over the place crying in shadows, holding grudges, and trying to mend their broken hearts. And let me tell you, I was glad that my potato heart and I didn’t have to deal with those things.
Then along came the fireworks. No, literally, fireworks up in the desert sky, on the 4th of July, the day I married my best friend. My husband and I started out like most newlyweds, where our biggest concern was what colors to paint the walls in our new home. My potato heart was content because my honey wanted nothing more than to make me happy. And then about a month later, yup, reality sunk in, the bills started pouring in, home repairs seemed endless, and our work schedules never met eye-to-eye. You can guess what happens next… The “potato peeler” phase as I like to call it.
In 2010 I was honored to host a study on John Wesley’s Three Simple Rules for Christian Living. In brief, the founder of Methodism believed that in order to live a successful Christian life, you need to follow three rules: to do no harm, to do good, and to obtain upon all the ordinances of the Lord, or the modern translation, to stay in love with God by attending church, praying, taking communion and so on.
Out of these three rules, the one that I think stuck out the most was the first rule of “do no harm.” There are so many things that are considered “harmful” or “evil” most of which, we don’t even acknowledge as being. My tough potato heart for instance.
One day I was reading God’s Word for strength in hopes of not becoming mashed potatoes, and He led me to Psalm 66:18 which says, "If I regard evil in my heart, the LORD will not hear me.” How true that is! So many times I went to the Lord in prayer begging Him to change the ways of the people who have done me wrong. And it took a while, the better part of twenty years, but I heard God tell me that, “You got it all wrong sister. You need to first soften your heart, and change your ways, before you could ask for that in others.”
Have you been missing what God is trying to tell you lately? Have you been praying for financial stability, but didn’t bother to go after that higher paying job you are more than qualified for? God answers prayers. God opens doors. But, do you trust Him enough to walk through them?
Now, let me ask you this, Do you consider yourself approachable? Do you truly believe that other people can see your softened heart and feel comfortable enough to approach you? If not, then how do you ever expect to spread the love that you have for Jesus Christ to others? If you are known to keep more to your busy schedule and your own agenda than you keep to God’s Word, then here’s your divine intervention!
You know, if these words are speaking to you right now. Go ahead. Find a way to soften your own heart to whatever it is you have built a wall around. Put that pressure of that brick wall on God’s shoulders, not your own. Go ahead. God can handle it.
Our time here at church is our practice field for real life. If we can’t get our relationships right here at church, then there’s little luck for success out there in the real world. God has placed all these fellow like-minded Christians around you on Sundays and during week night committee meetings and Bible studies, and just sits back and watches. How are you measuring up during practice?
If we fellow Christians can’t manage to have meaningfully and healthy relationships with one another, then there is no hope for the rest of ‘em. Our hearts need to mimic that of Christ’s heart. It’s not a potato, it’s not a marshmallow, it’s just right.
The rest of Psalm 66 says that, “Surely God has listened and heard my prayers. Praise be to God, who has never rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”
Praise be to God!
