Smart Heart - Tending Deeply
Smart Heart - Tending Deeply
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
In biblical studies, the heart is often referred to as the seat of emotions, will and mind. I have also seen the soul or the inner person described similarly by contemporary writers. This type of discussion is often not intended to be theological but descriptive. The biblical writers were not thinking is neat categories or making theological declarations about selfhood. They were looking for ways to think and talk about the inner person, or the essence of who we are. In the Hebrew worldview, the heart takes on thinking or mind characterization:
“applying your heart to understanding” (Proverbs 2:2)
“I have hid your Word in my heart” (Psalm 119:11)
“the wise in heart” (Proverbs 10:8)
“and I gave my heart to know wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 1:17)
“even at night my heart instructs me” (Psalm 16:7)
This is interesting because I think there is a false dichotomy often made in spirituality between head and heart. When I was a seminary professor, I remember hearing students talk about a fear of losing their hearts in seminary. The implication of the statement was that if you studied scripture deeply, took it apart to better understand it in its historical and cultural context, that somehow the mental work would kill the heart. I found that testimony unfortunate and somewhat false. I have found that the deeper I go in the Word the more I am amazed at God’s hand and the more that I give to the Holy Spirit to use in my life.
So a strong part of spiritual development from my perspective is working toward a smart heart. There is a process required to develop a smart heart.
This process begins with knowledge. Knowledge is simply understanding. I obtain it by putting the best stuff into my heart through my mind. It is the old adage, “garbage in, garbage out.” Positively stated, whatever is noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable in, excellent and praiseworthy out (Philippians 4:8). Derek Bok, former president of Harvard is often quoted as saying, “if you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” This principle applies to spiritual development. I will probably not rise any higher developmentally than the hard work I invest in developing a right understanding through acquired knowledge.
So my reminder for spiritual development today is a call to return to the classics – put the best and deepest thoughts on spirituality into our hearts. Clearly this begins with God’s Word. However, I have benefited greatly from some of the Masters who have walked out God’s Word in their day-to-day since the canonizing of the Bible. I benefit from spending significant time with these Masters – distant mentors. I personally like to read broadly but I find it valuable to return to the old classics, to read and reread and read again. My list of rereads include classics works such as:
Andrew Murray, Waiting on God
Augustine, Confessions
Thomas á Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
Hannah Hurnard, Hinds’ Feet on High Places
Deitrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
When was the last time you sat down with a cup of coffee and one of the spiritual development masters. May God lead you today to a fresh word for your soul, even in the form of an old word from another expanding soul of the past!