Have you opened your heart to someone else? Have you opened it to a group of people? Have you shown them that you care for them, only to have them take advantage of you or cast you aside? Do you desire to have them open their hearts to you?
Opening your heart to someone else can be difficult to do. It is even more difficult to open your heart to a group of people. We want to ensure it is a safe place before we do so. If we do and people take advantage of us, it makes it more difficult to open our hearts again.
As difficult as it is to open our hearts to show the love of God to others may be, it is what we are called to do. One part of opening our hearts is speaking frankly about God’s love, letting them know that God loves them and desires them to love him. Not everyone wants to hear that message nor does everyone believe it. Yet, we are to speak it anyway.
When we tell others and are rebuffed, it can sting. Yet, God can work in their hearts long after we have planted the seed. The fruit of our labor may not be realized until years later. Therefore, we may never know how the seed we planted may grow.
Paul knew he had planted seeds. He pleaded with the Corinthians to open their hearts, not simply to his message, but to the message he spoke on Gods behalf. We may also plead with people to hear the message. They may be standoffish, just as they were with Paul. All we can do is plant the seed and let God provide the growth.
I pray we all open our hearts to others to reveal the love of God. I pray we speak the truth to them about God’s love. I pray each one of show others we care about them and so does God. Show the love of God to others. Speak God’s truth to others. Plant the seeds. Leave the growth to God.
2 Corinthians 6:11-13 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.
Marty Pressey 