You see this beautiful little tree was our neighborhood Christmas Tree. Neighbor Karen started with red bows. Neighbor Robert added some lights. The LeMasters came along with a Star. All unplanned. Without coordination, each adding their touch to bring this little tree to life for the folks traveling Poor House Road. That little tree became a seasonal landmark in our neighborhood. It was used as a point of reference – up, over, to the left, to the right, behind, beside, around the Christmas Tree.
After the season, the tree was stripped and the decorations carefully put away and each neighbor looking forward to pulling them out next year. There’s only one small problem…the tree is gone! Our sweet little Christmas Tree that brought us Kumbaya and joy was hacked down. Yes, I know hacked sounds rather violent, but if you saw the equipment being used by the tree “trimmers” aka tree “hackers,” you’d think that term was mild. I can only imagine how she must have felt.
You see, our little three foot tree just happened to be growing under the power lines beside the road. It was the tree “hackers” job to clear everything growing under the 30 foot power lines. It wasn’t their job to determine what type of tree it was, whether it would ever grow 27 more feet, how round it would be, how sturdy a base it would have, or even if it was a threat to the powerlines. They were to just hack it down and not ask questions. The first thought that came to my mind when I saw she was gone was that the “hackers” had committed such an indiscriminate act. They had thoughtlessly, haphazardly, carelessly removed her without one iota of consideration. So sad.
My immediate next thought was how many times a day do I indiscriminately hack down something or someone? Thoughtlessly, haphazardly, carelessly, without one iota of consideration? When I really put my mind on it, I guess I’m not so different than the “hackers” I’ve been complaining about. Whoa, that smarted!
My next thought turned to our word of the year at Church – intentional. Are we intentional people? Are we thoughtful, are we conscience, are we careful people? I suggest that the opposite of intentional can be indiscriminate. If we are not intentional, we are indiscriminate. If we are not thoughtful, we can be thoughtless. If we are not conscience, we can be unconscious. If we are not careful, we can be careless. If we do not guard our hearts, we can be heartless. So, now we get to the point.
You know, the Bible has much to say about guarding and it gives instructions that are exceedingly clear, another term that keeps popping up in Church.
Above all guard your hearts for everything you do flows from it.
Proverbs 4:23
As the face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.
Proverbs 27:19
Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects every you do.
Proverbs 4:23
Ah…the wisdom of Solomon. Everything flows from our hearts, it reflects who we are as people, and our hearts affect absolutely everything we do in life.
But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.
Matthew 15:18
Ah…Matthew, who in old life was known as a master “hacker,” lays it out and doesn’t mince words. His words are exceedingly clear. If we fail to intentionally guard our hearts, our lips are sure to speak indiscriminately – indiscriminate words, indiscriminate tone, indiscriminate intentions, indiscriminate timing, indiscriminate conversation – all have the same tree “hacker” result – something or someone is cut down. As God people, we don’t want to be responsible for such acts. We don’t want to be governed by our lips, but by our hearts. We must intentionally guard our hearts to protect from being indiscriminate!