What Todd Jenkins says in his poem “Heart for It” is so simple. Of course, I respond. And then I think — have I always understood, really understood this scripture backwards? Todd also took the photograph below of Fremont, Washington.Read more of Todd’s poetry on his blog here.
When Jesus says,
“For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
he’s not saying that our treasure
will follow our heart.
He knows that whatever we value,
our hearts will find their way to it.
Whatever we don’t value,
our hearts will not seek out.
If economics is our driving force –
if we determine both God’s love for us
and therefore our love for others
by the number of baskets
of leftovers we can collect;
if time is short and we schedule
and protect all of ours
for fear that there won’t be enough
for us to enjoy the fruits of your bounty
(or “our labor” as we are wont to call it) –
then, when a matter of mission
or justice or compassion
comes our way and we say,
“We don’t have the time or money for it.”
what we are really saying is,
“We don’t have the heart for it.”
Give us hearts for it, O God!
