How we live our lives must be the foundation for all our introspection about faith, God, God’s Word, and God’s Law. How we live our lives must be the foundation for any of our reasoned religious doctrines.
Peter, you might want to correct your verse. It's 3 John not 3 James. Good verse, however. Might use it myself today. @https://nothingnewunderthesun2016.com/
“How can we hope to invite Jesus into our hearts while living lives which harden our hearts? I do not see how we can.”
I find that this is a guideline that helps me choose a path - does my action feel kind, or does it harden my heart? Do what feels kind! That feeling of a “hardened heart” prevents connection to God.
But I have done many kindnesses for certain people, only to be treated indifferently, or even cruelly, in return. After that, I no longer feel like doing kindnesses for that person - my heart “hardens”. I then have to forgive them, until I don’t feel cold-hearted towards them. For one’s mental health, you can’t be a complete doormat for someone who gives cruelty to you in response to your kindness. But you have to get rid of that “hardening” of the heart to align with God’s love.
“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” - 1 John 2:6
We have to pick our battles, and we have to pick our kindnesses as well.
People who do not receive the gifts we offer as gifts, who are ungracious and unkind, are like the swine before which Jesus admonished us not to cast our pearls.
Which is not to say we should expect kindness for kindness, but that we do well to focus our kindness where the most subsequent good will emerge. We should not focus on one who will not be lifted up while ignoring one who desperately wants to be lifted up.
Such discernment is not being hard of heart, but practical of mind.
Peter, you might want to correct your verse. It's 3 John not 3 James. Good verse, however. Might use it myself today. @https://nothingnewunderthesun2016.com/
“How can we hope to invite Jesus into our hearts while living lives which harden our hearts? I do not see how we can.”
I find that this is a guideline that helps me choose a path - does my action feel kind, or does it harden my heart? Do what feels kind! That feeling of a “hardened heart” prevents connection to God.
But I have done many kindnesses for certain people, only to be treated indifferently, or even cruelly, in return. After that, I no longer feel like doing kindnesses for that person - my heart “hardens”. I then have to forgive them, until I don’t feel cold-hearted towards them. For one’s mental health, you can’t be a complete doormat for someone who gives cruelty to you in response to your kindness. But you have to get rid of that “hardening” of the heart to align with God’s love.
“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” - 1 John 2:6
We have to pick our battles, and we have to pick our kindnesses as well.
People who do not receive the gifts we offer as gifts, who are ungracious and unkind, are like the swine before which Jesus admonished us not to cast our pearls.
Which is not to say we should expect kindness for kindness, but that we do well to focus our kindness where the most subsequent good will emerge. We should not focus on one who will not be lifted up while ignoring one who desperately wants to be lifted up.
Such discernment is not being hard of heart, but practical of mind.