Matters of the heart

The conversation was one we had several times. “People have black hearts,” she would say. “People have rotten hearts.”  She used the word that describes rotting fruit. Busuk. 

The good and the bad

And I agreed with her. “We all have hearts like that. That’s why Jesus came. Only He can clean our hearts and make them new.” 

She was trying hard to understand this. The free gift of eternal life.

But it slammed into the way she had been taught all of her life. Do good deeds and more good deeds. Don’t steal or cheat or lie. Maybe when you die the good will outweigh the bad. 

Maybe.

The way of humanity

She elaborated. Told me stories of women she knew who stole from the people they work for. Of women who cheated on their husbands. Compared to them, she looked pretty good. 

Then she sighed.“This stealing and cheating–it’s the way of humanity.”  

“You’re right. All have sinned. And all fall short of the glory of God.  All of us. We can’t ever do enough good deeds to reach God.” I paused. “But God so loved the world—He so loved you—that He gave His One and Only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life.”   

She was matter-of-fact in her response. “Everyone has their own way to God. We have different ways.” End of conversation.

Heart language

Another week I showed her a clip from the Jesus Film in her heart language. “This person is from my island!” she said as the narrator spoke. She leaned forward to listen to the old story that was new to her. 

Fascinated. 

During the telling of Creation, she nodded with interest. “Adam came from the dirt! And when we die, we go back to the dirt,” she said.  

Then the story of the birth of Jesus unfolded on the screen. She was stunned. “He was born like a poor person!” Yes. She clucked her tongue.“With no one to help! In a shed.” 

No one to help. I had never really thought about that before, but she saw it immediately. This she could identify with. Poor. Born in a shack without any help. Just like her. She seemed drawn to this One sent from God. 

Yet still, she quickly moved on to another topic.

I pray

My friend lives an ocean away from me now. I miss her. 

I wonder if she thinks about our talks. If she believes what is true. 

And I pray. I pray that her spiritual ears will be unstopped, her eyes opened to the Way, the Truth, the Life—the only Way to the Father. 

I pray she will follow Jesus Christ, the Royal One who became poor to transform hearts in a dark and broken world. 

He loves her so. This I know.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23 CSB).

What about you?

Do you have friends so close to the gospel, and yet so far? How do you pray for them? 

Related posts:  Gospel conversations along the way ; Mystery revealed ; The mystery of the gospel ; Rich man’s rain