#WednesdayWisdom: Heart Strings - All-access Pass?

Hey everyone, hope you're having a blessed week and making it over the hump. Today's nugget of #WednesdayWisdom is a word on the body's most important muscle: the heart. Who, if anyone, gets an all-access pass to yours?

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. - Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Given the way the world works these days, it would be so easy to use the above Bible verse to close yourself off from relationships, both platonic and romantic. So much of culture and society glorifies being a one-man-show, the idea that we don't need anybody else and we can do everything by ourselves. The way the world works can cause us to think that we are the only ones who have our own best interests at heart, and teaches us not to set ourselves up to be "played": taken advantage of, used, hurt, etc. Of course no one wants to be played, but if we're honest with ourselves, we don't want to be alone either. Yes, it is true that at some point in life, you will be faced with the reality that everybody doesn't have the same heart as you. You can't expect everyone to treat you as nicely as you treat them. Here's the kicker, though: Even after you come to terms with the fact that you will never be treated EXACTLY the way you want to be treated, you still can't close your heart off to people in fear of being hurt, because as Christians, we are called to love everyone as Christ does. It's a tough but necessary pill to swallow. Yes, absolutely, guard your heart. Making yourself accessible to everyone can be detrimental to your emotional and spiritual health; however, make sure you know the difference between a guard and a wall. Guards can be let down, but walls, made of brick and mortar, are sturdy and designed to keep everything out. Don't protect yourself from being hurt so much that you end up hurting yourself. Sometimes, your "protection" can keep you from something great. God knows what and who you need in your life. Stop being afraid and ask Him to help you put yourself out there. Ask for discernment and trust Him enough to open your heart and let the good stuff in. #WednesdayWisdom