HEART & HEAD
This past week I’ve played several grueling racquetball matches with a young man who is not even half my age. I know some of you are thinking, “Jenkins, you aren’t very smart!”
But I love racquetball and I love this young man. He is in better shape than I’m in (you would think that playing racquetball at a fast pace would help me lose some of the twenty pounds I need to shed, but so far nothing!), he is faster than I am (he reaches shots that I can only dream about reaching), and he is a very good athlete! You’ll have to ask him if you want to know who wins most of the games.
Since I’ve been playing racquetball it has come to my attention that some people play primarily with their head and some people play primarily with their heart. Some play smart, they know how to serve precisely, they know how to hit “kill shots,” and they know how to use all the walls.
Some may not be quite as “on target” with their shots, but they give everything they have in them to get to seemingly impossible shots. They play with passion and drive. They put all their emotions into every game.
You might be wondering if one way is better than another? You might be wondering if any of this matter, or what in the world does this have to do with “Thoughts From the Mound?”
As I was writhing in pain after today’s match (because I’m getting old!), I started thinking about how this head/heart concept relates to life. Some people live primarily with their head. They want to have everything in life figured out. They live by a strict schedule and they don’t really like surprises. They can pretty much tell you what they have planned all the time and where they believe they are headed in life.
Some folks live primarily with their heart. They are passionate about life and they enjoy spontaneity. They may not always know exactly what is going to happen next, but they go at it with full force.
Is one of these better than the other? It might not surprise us to learn that the answer to that question depends on who you ask. It seems, at least to me that this is a situation where both can be correct. There needs to be a balance when it comes to life.
Our Savior said, “I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) The same Lord told us that we can “know” Truth and that this Truth can make us free (John 8:32). Peter indicated that we should “love life and see good days.” (1 Peter 3:10). The same Apostle told us that we should grow in the grace and “knowledge” of our Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18).
We need head and heart. We need to know how God wants us to live, love, worship, handle relationships, and serve Him. We also need to live life with passion, to love life, to worship and serve God with great joy. We need balance when it comes to living life and serving our Father in Heaven!
Dear God help us to live the abundant life that Jesus came to bring us. Help us to love life, and to live it with passion. Father, help us also to learn how you want us to live, to serve others, and to serve You. Help us, dear Lord to grow in our knowledge of Your Will for our lives.