Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
I've always been curious about the phrase "guard your heart." All through junior high, high school, and even college, there were youth and small group leaders who focused on the importance of being careful how much of our heart we give away. We should save all of our heart for marriage, flirting is dangerous, dating is preparation for divorce, etc...you get the idea. Basically, in my life, "guarding your heart" has only meant to save emotional intimacy for your future spouse.
There's only one problem with this idea. It's not actually biblical. The phrase "guard your heart" comes from the verse above and, when read in context, it's clearly talking about guarding our hearts against sin, not people. And yet the two go hand in hand.
Someone named Lindy Keffer said this on the subject: "As usual, the Bible calls us to a standard higher than the ones we construct for ourselves. Guarding our hearts against sin includes much of the wisdom that's already built into the Christian dating culture: It causes us to choose our company carefully, steer clear of physical activity that arouses our sexual passions, and factor the lifelong nature of the marriage commitment into our interaction with potential spouses. It also asks us to dig deeper — to go beyond the neat boundaries outlined in books and lectures and wrestle with God regarding our own sin."
In the article where I got this quote, and another I read on the subject, it's indicated that Christians can hid behind a "guard your heart" mentality in human romantic relationships as a way to avoid the pain and hurt that is inevitable in any relationship. You can't check the guard-your-heart-box and call it a day; emotional intimacy demands heart involvement.
This feels very girly because it's about relationships - and I'm not very girly in a mushy sense. But every time I'm having fun with a little interest or crush, I ultimately hear "guard your heart Katie." But I'm okay with being hurt if it means that I'm authentically getting my heart involved with someone. I'd rather be hurt and upset and wishing I'd never gotten involved than being so "protected" that I lose myself behind that shield. I just need to remember to guard my heart against sin - not people.
The other author of the article I read said this: "And yet there is something of spiritual value in the process. When we make the focus guarding our hearts against sin, not people, we risk being hurt. But when you consider the many ways God can be glorified in righteous vulnerability, it is a risk worth taking."
1 comments:
I have never thought of that phrase in this light...guarding from sin, not people. Good post!
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