Overflowing Heart

(4-10-05)

Luke 6:45-49

 

          When you open your mouth, what do you communicate to those around you? I don’t mean just words, we communicate with tone, inflection, attitude, body language and so much more. Maybe I should ask, when you communicate, what is the message received?

          When we enter into a dialogue with some one we either uplift or depress, engage or alienate, imprison or liberate. (L.B. Jones) Jesus tells us that out of the fullness of our heart, we speak. The heart is not just full of our passions. We may love to fish or sew or garden or love our grandchildren or what ever and we may talk a lot and often about those things but there is more here than just these kinds of things.

          What sets the focus of our heart is our self-perceptions. Who we are and what we are sets the tone or position from which we communicate to others. How we perceive the same of the ones we communicate to effects the what and how of our dialogue to and with them. A boss who sees himself as “the boss” and everyone else as under him will speak from the over flow of his heart. Everything about them screams – “I’m the boss, you listen to me or else!”

          This kind of overflow shackles people to their will. Not everyone is a boss but we each have a heart filled with who we see ourselves to be and from that we communicate. A parent might rule the house with a strong, authoritarian, I am the parent so you listen to me, style and even after the children grow up and leave may still hold their children captive to their will. Why? Because their heart sees themselves as the parent and the other as the child. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Jesus shows us a better way. Jesus was the Son of God and He knew it but was His heart full of himself or others?

          When Jesus spoke with people he showed his heart by how and what He communicated. The Samaritan woman whom Jesus met at the well serves as a good example for us to see his heart in action.  (John 4:1-26)  According to the social norms of His day, the right thing for Jesus to do would be to not communicate at all. That would speak to the woman of her place and who she was and speak of Jesus’ place and who He was. How did Jesus’ heart overflow in this situation? _____________________

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Jesus, just by speaking to this woman communicated something about his view of himself and her. What he spoke to her and how he said it communicated much more. Jesus demonstrated love, acceptance and mercy. No Jesus didn’t say – ‘woman I love you, I accept you as a person and here is some living water for you.’ That is not what he spoke to her.  (read the text and see) What did Jesus really communicate to this woman? _______________________

In order for Jesus’ dialogue to be successful with the woman at the well it was necessary for him lift her above her image of herself to a higher level so that she could and would be able to accept what He wished to communicate. Remember that everyone else has a heart that in its overflow effects how they respond to your overflow. See how this woman automatically goes on the defense. Why? Because her heart if full of who she perceives herself to be and who she perceives Jesus is.  

What is the overflow of your heart? Are you willing to empty your heart so there is room for more Jesus?