It is sobering to recognize how easily the human heart can close itself off from an accepting relationship of others.  Sometimes we reject people for reasons that are personal, professional, or entirely unfounded.  At other times, our resistance may grow out of envy, jealousy, discomfort, or a simple difference in personality.  Yet once our minds and hearts have chosen to hold someone at a distance, it can become difficult to hear or acknowledge anything good about them or to receive what God may be doing through them.

         By contrast, it is difficult to hold resentment toward someone who has brought meaningful change into our lives.  When someone has been called by God to bring blessing, healing, encouragement, or meaningful change into our lives, our hearts often respond differently.  Gratitude has a way of softening resentment.  When a person becomes an instrument of good, especially when their witness helps open the door to a deeper relationship with God, we are reminded that grace can come through unexpected people and unexpected places.  It has the power to open the way to a relationship with God where none existed before.

         These two very different responses reveal the spiritual condition of the heart.  A hardened heart resists friendship, acceptance and grace.  But a heart awakened by faith becomes open to the good news of the gospel and the acceptance of God’s unconditional love.  When God opens both the mind and the heart, transformation begins — not merely in how we see others, but in how we receive the grace God is offering through Jesus Christ.

• What can we do to open our minds and our hearts to the acceptance of others through the gospel of Jesus Christ?
• How will this openness impact a change in our relationship with others and with God?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Loving God, Lord, soften our minds and hearts where they have become hardened, and resistant to seeing others with humility. Teach us to love and walk in the transforming power of the gospel.

         All of us are born within the ruling power of some leader.  And most of us are unknowing of those who rule when we are born. Because of our newness to life and the world, who they are may be insignificant.  Additionally, those who live within the times of those rulers reign are — in some very real ways — beholden to the authority of those in charge.  There may even be a hierarchy of leaders, each given authority over some area to rule and reign as they see fit.  But when God calls a person into service, who the leaders are of a nation, state, country or region are unimportant.  What becomes important is what that person called by God has been tasked to do according to the role they have been called to fill.  John came as one crying in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  It didn’t matter to him or to God who the leaders of those nations were, especially since God rules over all.  Whatever John was doing in the wilderness before he was called to preach required a change of both his heart and mind to undertake the will of God and do it.

         In reality, that’s what it takes for each of us.  Whatever we’re doing and whomever it is that’s in charge of the nation/state in which we live when God calls upon us will require a change of mind and heart on our part in order to believe and become obedient to God’s word.  Those who heard John’s message of repentance had to be transformed in heart and mind to confess their sins — the reality of who they truly were — and to repent — to embrace the acceptance of their new life as an act of obedience.  Having a changed mind and heart will create a new mindset and heart condition conducive to God’s influence.

• How would you explain your changed mind and heart that led you to believe in and follow Christ?
• What would you share of your story that would encourage others to do the same?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Gracious God, continue transforming my mind and heart that I may always be obedient and open to your call upon my life.

         Most of our decisions about others are made based on what we know, what we think we know, what we’ve heard, what we want to believe about them, and our preconceived expectations about who that person is.  If we’ve already made up our minds that they are suspicious, then there is typically nothing that will change that opinion.  If we’ve acknowledged that a person is of upright character and integrity, our view of that person will seldom change.  And we have to be honest.  We are sometimes so entrenched in what we believe about a person that nothing can change our minds.  But, if we’ve played a hunch about a person, that hunch will usually need verification from someone we trust that our hunch is right.

         To hear from someone we trust is an important feature of belief.  But as important is as hearing from someone we trust is the faith that the person we trust has the power and authority to verify that what they say is the truth.  That trust is certified when they can accurately identify our expectations; when they know exactly what we are hoping for and can — with some voracity — honor our hopes with a prophetic word from the past.  We get some validation when what we’ve believed can be verified by someone we trust.  It has the power to change not only our minds, but our hearts convincing us that our faith has been confirmed and that God is faithful.

• What action most affects your decision to change your mind or heart about someone who may be questionable?
• Who do you trust most to change your mind and heart about your belief in another person?

Todays Prayer

Today’s Prayer —
Loving God, create within me a deeper trust in Your word to change my mind and heart about people I’m unsure about.