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“Hardening of the heart ages people more quickly than hardening of the arteries.” ~ [think exist]
“I tell you now! You can’t have it your way!” yelled the deputy to a belligerent, young male inmate escorted by one deputy. More deputies were summoned over the radio as this inmate started fighting with one deputy who was escorting him from their unit to bring him to the Clinic and be evaluated.
“No, Ma’am! But these deputies will make me do it!” he blurted out to me when I asked him if he wanted to hurt himself.
“She’s just trying to help you! Answer her appropriately!” a cutting remark from one of the deputies wove in through our conversation.
“I’ll see if I can give you something to help you sleep like what you requested. But I’m sorry that I can’t give you any psych meds. Not until the psychiatrist has evaluated you and ordered something specific, the nurses cannot give you anything related to your mental health condition. I just want to request for you to be patient because I would try to have someone from Mental Health Services see you sooner!” my eyes trying to have a contact with his. His head remained looking down on the floor, only to look up when he wanted to say something in between or tried to free his wrists from the handcuff behind his back.
“You’re always patient. Thank you,” whispered one deputy.
“Because getting angry at him will not help in anyway. Thank you,” I replied.
How could I respond with anger? Knowing that he had a history of ingesting 2 bags of heroin and was treated at the hospital. He was fortunate to remain alive. He was one of those who was always in and out of jail for drug violations. Growing marijuana. Selling other drugs. Robbing places to sustain this ill habit. I could imagine the judge warning him many times to change. But trapped in this dangerous vice, he chose to not listen. His heart became callous to good advices.
Strong conviction for God’s Word lacks nowadays among many people. Many are doing things based on what is right on their own eyes. “Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him.” - Ephesians 4:18-19. As believers, we can’t do anything to change a blind person and with a hardened heart. That is the work of the Spirit. “My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. The ones who do the planting or watering aren‘t important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow.” - 1 Corinthians 3:6,7.
“Apollos watered…” It is allowing a person to see Christ through us. Through our actions. We are here to plant and water. But we must leave the “growing part” to God. It is frustrating to share the Good News to someone with a hardened heart. But we must persevere. Let’s start with examining where our own hearts are… [Matthew 6:21 - “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.”]
Which pot are you when the seeds [Word of God] got planted in you?
13This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' - Matthew 13: 13-15 [Parable of the Sower]
Sowing the Seed: Evangelism Stories for Children
Divine Nature - Sowing the Seeds of Faith & Scripture Study
