The Heart of Truth

Recently I heard a story that went a little something like this: 

There was a woman who claimed Christ was her life.  She befriended a little neighbor girl.  The girl was raised in a fatherless home, drenched in poverty, and highly suspicious.  She shares her insights with the woman, asks questions about life, and leans on her in times of need.  The sweet little girl, still only a single digit, goes to the woman one day and said that she had gone to church camp and was a little skeptical of the validity of the stories.  She was really interested to know if the teachers were lying since the accounts seemed so unrealistic.  It wasn't that she was cursing God....she was simply questioning what she didn't understand.  So she was sat down, prayed with, lovingly taught, selflessly embraced through this pivotal moment in her life.  She was scolded, made to feel stupid, and her regular treats from the woman stopped because she was accusing the Bible of being deceptive.

I wish I could say that this story was a fable or something of the like;  just made up to teach a lesson.  But it isn't.  It is reality.  A very sad reality that says our hands are closed and our hearts are prude with injustice and human reasoning.  Because a little girl couldn't grasp the infinite God in one sitting meant that she was to be cut off from all kindness.

 God is God.  He knows His value pretty well.  He also knows the hearts of all of his children.  Do you really think that the little girl's questions were offensive to God?  Was there a moment when, justified by self-righteousness, that this woman thought she was doing God a favor?  Oh, you're welcome God (insert finger into throat now).

The woman was a little girl herself once, with the same sort of questions.  The kind of questions God stirs in the heart of man to begin to draw us closer.   They weren't asked from arrogance or accusations.  And even if they were, God is not afraid of that.  He will never withhold Truth because we didn't ask pretty questions.  Read the Bible and you will see that the moment peoples eyes were opened was in the midst of hard times, hard questions, and hard hearts.  God is the master of breaking down barriers....the same barriers that we sometimes ignorantly put onto someone else's path.

We are never to curse or withhold goodness from ANYONE.  We can justify this at times if people are making bad choices or have turned their backs on God.  We think that the blessings are synonymous with being united with God.  But that is human rationalization.  The best time to lavish goodness on someone is in their state of derision.  It is kindness that will bring people to repentance.  Not the lessons we feel we need to force onto others.  We are not the Holy Spirit, and are majorly overstepping if we find it our duty to convict people.  Our only job is to love God and love people.  If we really love God, we will love the many faces that come our way, even the unpleasant ones. 

To the hard questions we are asked....pray and be seasoned with Grace, remembering that this could be the last time the life-altering questions get asked.  For the slaps we receive along the way....turn the other cheek.  Take away the power of darkness by surrendering instead of allowing someone to take from you.   When you lay down your life for God...for your brothers and sisters....you will truly and sincerely find your own. 

 So please, I beg you to ignore the people who carry God's name in vain.  Those who walk around with their piety and self exultation.  They wouldn't know God's heart it it slapped them in the face.  Attune your ears intently, because He is calling for you.  A God who isn't afraid of ugly....who shows no trepidation towards your wavering heart and hard questions, but a loving and genuine God who wants to share truth and freedom with you, simply because he loves you.