I have a friend who, every so often, asks me the question I least want to answer and most need to answer. For a private and closed-off person like me, it’s the best and worst question:
How’s your heart?
I don’t know how he knows to ask — maybe he knows we have a lot in common or he just senses it. I don’t know how he chooses his moments, but it’s always at the right time.
It happened again yesterday morning in a text message.
How’s your heart?
I love it. I hate it.
I answer honestly … eventually. But first I have to resist the urge to placate him with my usual evasive garbage. You know, something like, “Everything’s good, man. Thanks for checking in!” (Full disclosure: Most of my exclamation points are disingenuous.)
This question — How’s your heart? — reminds me of a powerful talk I heard Jud Wilhite give last week at Catalyst Dallas. Speaking to 3,500 church leaders, Jud said this phrase again and again:
“Your calling before God is not to a spectacular ministry, but to a faithful and sincere heart.”
If I’m honest, I have a tendency to focus on what I’m producing rather than what is being produced in me. And even though he’s a well-known pastor, Jud could cop to the same tendency. That’s why the question my friend asked me is so vital and life-giving — it beckons me to return to the inward work of cultivating a faithful and sincere heart in relationship with God.
So, how’s your heart?
Scott McClellan is the Editor of Echo Hub and the Director of Echo Conference. You can follow him on Twitter: @scottmcclellan.