“Grace is loving people for who they are, where they are. It’s loving people before they change, not just after they change. And that grace is the difference between holier and holier than thou. Holiness, in its purest form, is irresistible.”- Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson concludes Chapter 16 of All In by presenting an alternative way to identify our idols- reverse engineer our emotions. If we follow or trace the trail of our tears and fears all he way to the trailhead, we’ll come face-to-face with our idols. Our idols will trigger our strongest emotional reactions.
Pastor Batterson asserts, however, that how we show emotion isn’t the issue, nor is the issue when or where. The real issue is why. It’s been estimated that the number of unique human emotions is as high as four hundred. And, Mark emphasizes, we’re called to love God with every one of them- with all our heart.
Mark comments on the difference between head and heart knowledge:
“The difference between your head and your heart is only twelve inches, but it’s the difference between information and transformation. It’s not enough to invite Jesus into your mind. You have to open the door to your heart of hearts.”
Whatever we’ve built around our hearts, God wants to do a gut job. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, that job starts by letting Jesus all in.
Tomorrow’s blog: the Annotated Bibliography of All In
