The daughters of a reality show family "19 and Counting" were victimized by news that related to sealed files of years past.
Both daughters are newlyweds as of the past year or more, and one has a baby. Each was building her own family, spiritually and in relationship, when a media storm of attention broke upon them.
The sisters decided to sit for an interview on FoxNewsTV. I heard and could not help noticing a frequent referral to "our hearts."
Guarding their hearts, it turns out, was a prime incentive for seeking to forgive their brother, who took advantage of them when they were very young and he was an older minor.
In these days, guarding their hearts is part of seeking to react as Christians regarding those who now take advantage of their family's very private history, a "family secret."
There is an ongoing public excitement over discoveries or confessions of immorality among Christian leaders while they are in positions of moral leadership. That is to be expected. Yet, the innocent need to guard their hearts, too.
Bible commentator Matthew Henry said "God's counsels concerning us and our welfare are deep, such as cannot be known.... As the Lord knows us thoroughly, and we are strangers to ourselves, we should earnestly desire and pray to be searched and proved by his word and Spirit. if there be any wicked way in me, let me see it; and do thou root it out of me.... All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, or tire in it."
A big opportunity lies with Christians to renounce gossip, rejoicing in others' failures, and hate; choosing to pray for those who treat us spitefully is one way to guard ourselves. It forces us to look up. Looking upward not only honors God; through it He guards us from vulnerable and chaotic hearts that can lead us off what C. S. Lewis called "the main road."
Both daughters are newlyweds as of the past year or more, and one has a baby. Each was building her own family, spiritually and in relationship, when a media storm of attention broke upon them.
The sisters decided to sit for an interview on FoxNewsTV. I heard and could not help noticing a frequent referral to "our hearts."
Guarding their hearts, it turns out, was a prime incentive for seeking to forgive their brother, who took advantage of them when they were very young and he was an older minor.
In these days, guarding their hearts is part of seeking to react as Christians regarding those who now take advantage of their family's very private history, a "family secret."
There is an ongoing public excitement over discoveries or confessions of immorality among Christian leaders while they are in positions of moral leadership. That is to be expected. Yet, the innocent need to guard their hearts, too.
Bible commentator Matthew Henry said "God's counsels concerning us and our welfare are deep, such as cannot be known.... As the Lord knows us thoroughly, and we are strangers to ourselves, we should earnestly desire and pray to be searched and proved by his word and Spirit. if there be any wicked way in me, let me see it; and do thou root it out of me.... All the saints desire to be kept and led in this way, that they may not miss it, turn out of it, or tire in it."
A big opportunity lies with Christians to renounce gossip, rejoicing in others' failures, and hate; choosing to pray for those who treat us spitefully is one way to guard ourselves. It forces us to look up. Looking upward not only honors God; through it He guards us from vulnerable and chaotic hearts that can lead us off what C. S. Lewis called "the main road."
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