Philippians 2:17 “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.”
I’m sure you’re probably like me in terms of feeling overwhelmed at times by the needs of this world. We see horrific pictures on the news of famines or wars and it touches us momentarily, but we change channels to watch something less disturbing and so quickly forget. We choose to harden our hearts. Every day, I battle with this. There are women and kids sitting in the dirt fifty yards from me as I write this. Will I embrace the pain of keeping my heart soft, or settle for a hardening of it?
Jackie Pullinger has led a remarkable life working amongst prostitutes, heroin addicts and gang members for over four decades. In one sermon she exhorted us: “God wants us to have soft hearts and hard feet. The trouble with so many of us is that we have hard hearts and soft feet.”
So may we keep our hearts soft – that’s half of it – now how about the tough feet? Paul writes the above verse from prison. He’s suffered for the cause. He knows that what he’s exhorting others to won’t be easy. His soft heart rejoices for how they’ve grown in their faith whilst his calloused feet endure enforced rest from the many miles of travelling and preaching the good news.
Whilst exploring Central Africa, David Livingstone once received a letter from a missionary society down in South Africa: “Have you found a good road to where you are? If the answer’s ‘yes’, we want to send other men to come and help you.” Livingstone replied: “If you have men who will come only if they know there’s a good road, I don’t want them.”
Are you laying down any conditions before offering your life to God?
Lord God, I choose to have a soft heart and tough feet, for Christ’s sake. Amen!
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