Living in the culture of our day tends to harden our hearts.  We are constantly bombarded with so many needs–on the streets as we drive, work and shop; on the TV with news of war, famine and other natural & manmade disasters; even in our churches with missionaries telling of needs and stories about the persecution of our brothers and sisters around the world.  We soon get to the point where the hurt we see around us does not affect us.  Sure, we see it, we may even mentally comprehend it but we have built a wall around our emotions so that we will not be overcome by what we perceive as an unrelenting river of needs and demands on our time and resources.  We have turned our hearts to stone.  But is that how God wants His children to be? (Matthew 5:7, Luke 6:27-36)

What we need is an extreme change of heart.  There’s only one person for that kind of extreme heart surgery–Jesus.  Invest some time with the Lord today and over the next few days asking Him to examine your heart.  Ask Him to remove your heart of stone and give you a heart like His.  One that is touched by the needs of others.  One that is willing to share the love of God wherever it is needed.