How's Your Heart?

Ezekiel 36:26 English Standard Version (ESV)

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ephesians 4:32 English Standard Version (ESV)

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Proverbs 4:23 English Standard Version (ESV)

23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,

    for from it flow the springs of life.

Psalm 10:17English Standard Version (ESV)

17 O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted;

    you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear

1 Corinthians 12:26King James Version (KJV)

26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

During the church service meet and greet this morning, there was one who thought to ask of another, "How's your heart?"  It wasn't the usual exchange of How are you and Fine, Thank you that we so often hear, because the greeter knew of the other's sufferings and joined her in them.  It's amazing how such a small exchange communicated such love and compassion.  

If I was bolder I may have wanted to pump my fist and shout, "Now that's the way to do a meet and greet!"  But I wasn't and didn't.  Instead my own heart was pricked by the knowledge that I would just as soon hide out in an introvert's corner during the meet and greet rather than show such compassion to another member of the body.  I really need to work on my own meet and greet skills.  I want a heart both strong and tender. 

I Find Your Love - Beth Nielsen Chapman