Loving Wholeheartedly

If you have read my past two blogs, you will know that I am seeking to live a life that is much deeper this year.  Daisy, my new puppy has certainly contributed to that richness- and I might add, also the messiness of this thing called life.  The arrival of my first grandbaby- a grandson, has taken life to another level.  If I could paint, I would make an image of my heart overflowing.  I confess though, as I gazed down into the eyes of the newborn in my arms, I felt a hand squeeze my heart with fear. I realised that living life deeply involves loving deeply; and that makes me vulnerable and a little scared.  Perhaps this is what Brene Brown means when she speaks of wholeheartedness? 

Brown, a professor in sociology, defines wholehearted people as people who fully embrace vulnerability by living and loving fully with their whole heart, knowing there are no guarantees.  Her ten guideposts for wholehearted living includes letting go of much – including fear, and in its place cultivating a list of positive qualities and behaviours.

While our heart is considered the centre of our emotions, we also know it is the very organ that pumps our blood that gives us life.  In ancient times, the heart represented all our will, emotions, and reason.    Wholeheartedness is complete and earnest commitment.  As soon as we start protecting our heart from hurt, we start hiding from love and life loses its depth.   Life is then lived half-heartedly.   

It takes courage-and faith, to live vulnerably, to love deeply and to be wholehearted.  We cannot guarantee our future, so why do try to control it?   How many of us then live life half heartedly most of the year?

As a believer, I noticed that wholeheartedness is asked a lot of believers in the Bible. Jesus said that believers are to love God wholeheartedly (with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength) and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This means an earnest commitment to our love of God, ourselves, and others.  You know, I can honestly say that loving God, myself, and others does require courage; especially in the face of some of the situations and circumstances life throws at us.  Loving some people and myself, can be downright hard!   What’s the alternative though?  Halfhearted living. Doesn’t Revelation 3:16 tell us that this is distasteful lukewarm living!   

How then do we love if we are to love wholeheartedly?  What perfect example of love, then God’s example Himself!  While I am not a big supporter of Valentine’s Day, I am a big supporter of love; of being loved and loving every day of the year.  Loving wholeheartedly, and living wholeheartedly is a lifestyle and not a day.  If I want to live life deeply, then I must have an earnest commitment to love no matter what tomorrow brings.  How would you paint that?   

Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash