But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb. 5:14)
This verse from last Sunday’s reading deflates the arrogance of modern man. At some point in the history of the last few hundred years (Descartes? The Enlightenment?), a prejudice began to grow. The prejudice runs something like this: we are governed by our minds, and our minds can understand anything with sufficient mental effort.
We all fall prey to this prejudice to some degree or another. We all believe, more or less, that our mind is our governing faculty, determining right from wrong. Sufficient education solves all problems, in our estimation—crime, poverty, disease. Even our own internal struggles are met with the attempt to understand, and therefore to fix. The harsh reality is that much of life cannot be addressed purely by the mind. Great intelligence does not make a person good, and understanding does not always produce happiness.
The Bible doesn’t agree with our prejudice. It instead posits the heart as the most important faculty. By heart, the Bible doesn’t merely mean the seat of emotions, but instead the center of our entire being—what we would call our identity or will. This is the faculty that governs our actions, and this is the faculty that directs the mind. A bad heart corrupts an intelligent mind, and a good heart ennobles even the feeble mind.
So how does one train the heart, so that it might be good? The Biblical answer is habit. “Constant practice” (Heb. 5:14) shapes our hearts so that we begin to understand right and wrong, and perhaps more importantly, so that we begin to desire what is right.
It is startingly how little abstract theology (the realm of the mind) God gave his people when he revealed himself at Sinai. Instead, he gave them habits and practices that would shape their hearts. The New Testament doesn’t break this pattern! It is true we are called to understanding, but of the four basic activities of the early church, only one (apostolic teaching) is strictly focused on the mind. The other three—the sacraments, the prayer life, and the fellowship of believers—are habits, practices that train the heart.
Do not think lightly of the practices, as if they are less important than understanding! These habits transform our hearts, so that our powers of discernment will understand good and evil.
Steven+
Scripture Reflections
If you read Hebrews 3 and 4 in one sitting, you might be surprised by how often the word “today” shows up. The writer of Hebrews, quoting Psalm 95, says repeatedly, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” Lest the congregation be confused about which day he means, he says, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today…’”
As a lifelong procrastinator who needs the pressure of a deadline to get something done, “today” means “next week” to me! But Hebrews doesn’t agree with the procrastinator, at least on this front. Hebrews sounds more like II Corinthians 6, which claims, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Not tomorrow, but today!
I had an old professor of Greek literature in college who would advocate for putting off work as long as possible. “After all,” he would say, “you might die before it is due. Why waste your last minutes on a school assignment?” Whether or not he was right about essays on Greek literature is up to the school teachers to say, but for Paul and the writer of Hebrews, we can’t treat our approach to God like this.
If the work of the day is repentance, prayer, or the study of Scripture, there is no time to delay! Now is the favorable time! God calls us to respond to him, and it is no good to say, “Tomorrow I will get around to repentance; on Sunday I will worship.” Every day is the day we are called to turn back, to lift our voices, to listen to God.
I don’t know if my old professor was a Christian, but if he was, I hope he agreed. Some things are too important to put off. God created us to be in communion with him, and any moment wasted is a tragedy. Let us strive to pursue God today.
Steven+
Hidden LIfe
Hidden life, its precise beginning and too often its end impossible to mark, is yet a claimed life, a known life. Though they may never hear it spoken over them in an earthly baptism, we proclaim it now: For this unborn child the Author and Perfector of life, died. For this child he defeated death, conquering sin and the grave! For this child he rose, as a first fruit of all those who belong to him, and ascended like a Son of Man into the heavenly throne room. For this child our King and Risen Lord makes continual intercession with the Father. Precious one, you are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb—wear your wedding garments proudly, as one who is beloved!
- Rebekah