What’s in your wallet?
As the annoying credit card commercial asks, “What’s in your wallet?” Jesus asks, “What’s in your heart?” Obviously, the card brings many benefits to the owner while offering top of the line security and kickbacks. To have this credit card in your wallet is a promise of protection and the best resources in a bank, or they lead you to believe. No matter what credit card or what is in your wallet it reveals your trust or preference in a certain banking system and to a certain degree what you value. Whatever is in the wallet shapes and affects how you spend or live your life.
Now, Jesus’ similar question, ‘What’s in your heart?” challenges listeners to examine their heart because it is from the heart that we make decisions. While the heart shapes our lives it too is being shaped by experiences, influences, people, culture, and many other outlets that we interact with on a daily basis. Our heart is reflected, not only by, our words and actions but by what we value. Just like the wallet can reveal the banking system and our values, the heart reveals where our trust and values are.
The reality of the call, “Come follow me” is to surrender what is in our heart and allow God to shape and redefine our values and trust. Dallas Willard calls this spiritual formation. The process of our hearts being transformed into new values and rhythms of living. This is why Jesus prefaces the initial call of follow with “die to self.” Salvation is only possible because of the Great Love and Mercy of God by faith in Christ. To follow, which is the action ignited by salvation, requires a heart transformation.
An easy and quick transformation at the beginning would be the greatest and most convenient process, but it doesn’t work that way. Our heart has been so influenced, and continues to be, that it takes a lifetime of surrendering and seeking the Spirit’s transformation. We know it is an imperative issue because Paul spends much of his letters on transformation.
“Therefore, I appeal to you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2
Ask yourself, how do I spend most of my time? What do I value? Does my lifestyle align with Jesus’ teaching? Do my words and actions towards others reflect Jesus? Those questions are how we can begin to evaluate what is in our heart. Now, if you have begun to beat yourself up or stopped reading, slow down and breathe. First of all, rest in the assurance that God chooses you and promises to walk with you. Also, remember, it is a process, and the key is being in step with the Holy Spirit. It begins with surrendering to the Holy Spirit and asking “Lord, will you teach me to value you. Help me to align with your lifestyle and your pace in life.”
Paul writes earlier in Romans 8, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son...” Conforming begins with our heart which shapes our values, actions, and words. Those in Christ, have the greatest assurance, protection, and access to an abundant life of joy. So, What’s in YOUR heart?
