Destress the Damsel

Guidelines For Goals

01.31.2019 by Chaste Bolks // Leave a Comment

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say “I can.”

Look them over, the wise and great,
They take their food from a common plate
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart.
But you’ve all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You’re well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go.
How much you will study the truth to know,
God has equipped you for life, But He
Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win,
So figure it out for yourself my lad,
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began.
Get hold of yourself, and say: “I can.”

– “Equipment” by Edgar Guest

Are you tired? Tired of making goals, only to fail time and time again at meeting them? Are you ready to finally say, “I can” to the goals in your life?

As the poet Edgar Guest has suggested, one won’t get very far in his plans unless he has a positive outlook and the will to persevere. It is indeed true that holding proper perspectives towards the goals we make will set us on the right track for success. Yet our mindset alone can not keep us on the right track. Many a man or woman has made a goal with the best of intentions, only to crash and burn after a time. How might one set a goal for themselves and ensure they will see it through to completion?

There are three vital steps that we too often forget to implement in the goal making process. If you wish to go from “I can” to “I will”, then let us look into three Guidelines For Goals…

When setting out to make a goal, the first thing you must do is face yourself.

“Do I have what it takes to see this particular goal through from start to finish?”

Many a goal was doomed from the start because the goal setter never bothered to ask themselves this question. Making goals is easy, but follow-through is tough! We may have lofty ambitions, but we can’t let desire outweigh reason. Jesus admonishes us to think before we act:

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. – Luke 14:28-30

Maybe you want to lose weight. That’s a great goal, but can you follow through with the healthful diet plan and exercise regimen?
Maybe you want to buy a new car. That’s a great goal, but can you give up some other luxuries so you can afford to make the monthly payments?
Maybe you want to home educate your child. That’s a great goal, but are you willing to give up time and resources to meet your state’s requirements?

Now here’s the key: face yourself, don’t debase yourself.

When we face ourselves, the idea is not to beat ourselves up and feel like a failure if we realize we’re not cut out for the goal we have in mind. Some goals we have to give up before we even begin, and that’s okay! Knowing our own limitations and wisely putting our time and efforts in the right places is, in and of itself, a profitable thing.

A goal properly set is halfway reached. – Zig Ziglar

Know yourself so you set goals which are appropriate for your unique personality and complement your skill sets. Seek God’s will in prayer as you lay your tentative goals before Him and ask for clarity and direction. Ask trusted Christians for their advice and input. When you find that your goal is suitable for you, go for it! You are off to a promising start…

Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established. – Proverbs 15:22

#1 Guideline For Goals:
Always: Face Yourself.
Never: Debase Yourself.

Now that you’ve made your goal, the second step is to pace yourself.

There are two great enemies of goals: hurry and hesitation. Though opposites, both of these extremes are equally harmful. If we rush into our goals and push ourselves too hard, we will likely become discouraged at the burden and give up. On the other hand, if we procrastinate and only put in minimal effort from time to time, we will likely find our goal falling by the wayside…never to be picked up again. We all know the old adage, “slow and steady wins the race”, and this could not be more true in regards to goals. It’s important to find the balance between over-exertion and laziness. Keep moving at a steady pace, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Pacing oneself is a matter of a simple math problem. You choose a reasonable deadline, you add up the time from now to then, and you divide the required work into attainable segments. You can do it with a bit of simple planning and a hearty resolve!

Now here’s the key: pace yourself, don’t race yourself.

Want to finish a 300 page book in a month? Easy peasy…you’ve got 30 days to get it done. Commit to read 10 pages a day and you’ll be sure to meet your goal.
Want to up your daily water intake from four glasses to eight? Take a week to practice drinking five, then the next week drink six, then seven, then eight…it will be a habit before you know it!
Want to send 15 cards out this week? Write out three a day starting Monday and you’ll be set to send them all out after Friday.

When you break your main goal up into bite-sized mini goals such as these, you will find it much easier to succeed overall.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings… – Proverbs 22:29a

A word of advice: Avoid making goals that are too vague. A goal must be specific and measurable if it is to be reached. For example…

Instead of saying “my goal is to read more of the Bible this month”, you might say, “I am going to read the book of Isaiah from start to finish in February”. More is hard to measure. Isaiah is not. A goal that can not be measured is only a desire. Make your desire a reality by exchanging it for a genuine goal!

A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out. – Proverbs 20:5 (NASB)

#2 Guideline For Goals:
Always: Pace Yourself
Never: Race Yourself

Now that you have made your goal and a workable plan to follow, the final step is to embrace yourself.

There may come a time where the path to meeting your goal hits an obstacle. That obstacle may be from a circumstance outside your control, but many times that obstacle will in fact be YOU.

You intended to go sugar-free, but you caved when someone offered you a doughnut…you fell asleep before you finished that last chapter in your book…you forgot to drink the cup of water you had put off until evening. Whatever the case, you really botched up your goal; and now you’re wondering if a person like you is even capable of meeting a goal. After all, everything you try you fail at…maybe you should just give up. Stop, stop, stop! These lies you tell yourself are a foothold for the devil. I know, for I’ve told them to myself many a time. Satan adores preying on the pitiful and the self-deprecating. Don’t let that be you. Face your error like a man, and pick up right where you left off.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again… – Proverbs 24:16a

So you messed up. What’s done is done, and you are now down to two choices. Admit total failure and denounce your goal (Satan’s delight) or get back on the proverbial bicycle and keep on pedaling (God’s delight). See, every goal, from the most seemingly insignificant (i.e. losing 5 pounds) to the most seemingly significant (becoming a missionary) has spiritual implications. The more loyal and determined you are at meeting your own goals, the more loyal and determined you will be for God’s.

Still, there are times where we must embrace ourselves in our own humanity. This does not mean loving failure. Rather, it means loving ourselves in spite of our failure – loving ourselves enough to say “I have failed, but I am not a failure. I don’t believe a word of Satan’s lies. I will persevere, for even the smallest goal ought to be performed wholeheartedly for the glory of my God”

Now here’s the key: embrace yourself, don’t disgrace yourself.

The Lord is in the corner of those who continue to turn to Him with a sincere heart. Notice that this is a twofold deal. He knows our plight, but still we must keep on keeping on.

Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. – Psalm 119:132-133

#3 Guideline For Goals:
Always: Embrace Yourself
Never: Disgrace Yourself

In conclusion…

Do you have a goal in mind that you would like to achieve? Be sure to follow our three guidelines for goals for the best possible result.

Face Yourself. Pace Yourself. Embrace Yourself.
Remember not to Debase Yourself, Race Yourself, or Disgrace Yourself.

Above all, seek to honor God in the making and meeting of goals, for…

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

The Face of a Fool

12.31.2018 by Chaste Bolks // 1 Comment

“An Ass found a Lion’s skin left in the forest by a hunter. He dressed himself in it, and amused himself by hiding in a thicket and rushing out suddenly at the animals who passed that way. All took to their heels the moment they saw him.

The Ass was so pleased to see the animals running away from him, just as if he were King Lion himself, that he could not keep from expressing his delight by a loud, harsh bray. A Fox, who ran with the rest, stopped short as soon as he heard the voice. Approaching the Ass, he said with a laugh:

‘If you had kept your mouth shut you might have frightened me, too. But you gave yourself away with that silly bray.'”

Moral:
A fool may deceive by his appearance, but his words will soon show what he really is.

– “The Ass in the Lion’s Skin”, a fable by Aesop

As this ancient fable portrays, a fool can not always be identified at first glance. Yet if one looks closely (or as in the Fox’s case, listens closely), folly becomes readily apparent. All the Ass in the Lion’s skin had to do was to let what was inside reveal itself on the outside and his ruse was done for. Busted.

Unfortunately, since we live in a fallen world, foolish people make up a great part of the population. Some fools are easy to recognize, others hide their foolishness well – but there is one fool that can be so well disguised that he seems to forever stump even the cleverest sleuth. The fool of which I speak? We’ve known him for as long as we can remember. Why, he’s the man in the mirror! That fool at times is you…that fool at times is me.

When you hear the word fool, do you think of a completely obscure individual? Perhaps a real loser ex-boyfriend comes to mind, or a crooked politician, or an obnoxious movie star, or some whacked-out druggie whose life is in shambles. We can easily think of lots of people who fit the description, and rightly so perhaps…but we rarely stop to think of our own foolishness. How much easier it is to see the folly of another than in one’s own self.

When we look into the mirror (God’s word), are we seeing an accurate representation of ourselves? Or are we in fact, like the Ass in the Lion’s skin, wearing a disguise so that we might trick ourselves into believing better of ourselves than we ought? Each one of us has the potential to become as regal as a lion in God’s sight…but only if we will first come to terms with that donkey in the mirror.

Come gaze into the mirror of God’s word with me, and we will learn how to identify The Face of a Fool…

The first step in checking if you have the face of a fool, is to check your eyes. How’s your sight? Do you have an eye that’s gone awry?

We know that something has gone awry with our sight when we stop viewing our life through a spiritual lens. Few Christians recognize this error in themselves, but this mindset can creep up on us far more easily than we think. When we adopt the poor-me attitude in relation to our duties? Our eye has gone awry – we’re not viewing ourselves as humble servants as we ought. When we value entertainment far more than study? Our eye has gone awry – we’re not watching over our time as we ought. When we are harsh and judgmental towards others? We are not seeing them in the light of God’s love as we ought. When we rely on our own worldly ideals rather than God’s heavenly ideals, we become like a blind man without a helper…stumbling about and not getting very far.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness… – Ecclesiastes 2:14a

Don’t want to be a fool? Read God’s word regularly…make bible study a habit…listen to sermons with depth…conversate with Christians wiser than yourself when opportunity allows. Fool lack wisdom because they simply don’t make spiritual learning a priority…

O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. – Psalm 92:5-6a

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. – Proverbs 24:7

The further we allow ourselves to drift from spiritual perspectives, the harder getting back on track becomes. No one becomes a fool overnight, but rather little by little…with every choice we make. Foolishness grows with every choice that says “I love me” rather than “I love God”. It has nothing to do with our intellect, but everything to do with our worldview. Foolishness is not a head problem, but a heart problem…

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God… – Psalm 14:1a; 53:1a

Don’t allow the face of a fool to show up in your mirror. Check your sight!

The second step in checking if you have the face of a fool is to check your nose. How’s your snub? Do you have a nose that’s gone froze?

A common characteristic of fools is misplaced arrogance. With nose perpetually stuck up in the air, a fool listens to no one but himself. Considering that every way of a man is right in his own eyes, we all struggle with this at times. When we brush off criticism without questioning if there is truth to it? Our nose has gone froze – we think we can do no wrong. When we pick and choose the verses that best align with our own wishes? Our nose has gone froze – we have set ourselves up as God. When we refuse to revisit bible topics to make sure our pre-conceived notions are in fact biblical? Our nose has gone froze – we think we have it all figured out. When we set ourselves up as a standard to ourselves, God will take us down a notch!

The wise in heart will receive commandments, but a prating fool shall fall. – Proverbs 10:8

Don’t want to be a fool? Be moldable…listen more than you talk…don’t be afraid to change your stance if you’ve been wrong…find glory in truth as opposed to opinions.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. – Proverbs 12:15

Don’t buy the “follow your heart” lie that’s so prevalent in our society. The wise seek after truth, whether it coincides with their feelings or otherwise.

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. – Proverbs 18:2

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. – Proverbs 28:26

Don’t allow the face of a fool to show up in your mirror. Check your snub!

The third step in checking if you have the face of a fool, is to check your mouth. How’s your speech? Do you have a mouth that’s gone south?

Remember the Ass in the Lion’s skin? He was quickly identified by his big mouth, wasn’t he? It’s often the same way with fools. Our speech is very telling about the state of our hearts! When we feel the need to make a negative comment about everything? Our mouth has gone south – we have forgotten how to praise. When we have a fighting spirit, and enjoy jabbing others with our words when we feel angry? Our mouth has gone south – it is full of venom and hatred. When we love to make our opinion loud and clear, and always have the last word? Our mouth has gone south – we lack humility. It is far better to practice silence than to speak foolishness.

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. – Proverbs 17:28

Don’t want to be a fool? Practice tactfulness…pause before speaking when frustrated…walk away from heated arguments…let the little things go.

Seeest thou a man hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. – Proverbs 29:20

A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. – Proverbs 29:11

Those who are slow to speak save themselves from a world of trouble. Save yourself from making later apologies by holding your peace in the heat of the moment! Let your tongue move only when your spirit is calm and your listener is open to your words.

It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. – Proverbs 20:3

Don’t allow the face of a fool to show up in your mirror. Check your speech!

In conclusion…

If each of us began to check our spiritual mirror for signs of foolishness as often as any woman checks a physical mirror for signs of blemishes and imperfections…we’d be sure to never be caught dead with the face of a fool. Let us all perform a daily check to make sure we never have an eye that’s gone awry, a nose that’s gone froze, or a mouth that’s gone south.

Don’t be a donkey. Let us don a lion’s skin without, and a lion’s soul within!

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

A Mary Heart

11.30.2018 by Chaste Bolks // 1 Comment

Mary did you know that your baby boy
would one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy
would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
has come to make you new?
This child that you’ve delivered, will soon deliver you

Mary did you know that your baby boy
will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy
will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God

Mary did you know? (x6)

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy
is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy
would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect lamb?
That sleeping child you’re holding is the great I Am

Mary did you know? (x6)
Oh Mary did you know?

– Songwriters: Buddy Greene/Mark Lowry

So it’s December. Here we are again at that time of year when songs revolving around our Savior’s birth can be heard over the air waves, nativity scenes adorn many a doorstep, and candles are lit in honor of that humble yet holy night among the stables. At this time of year, sermons will be given about how “Jesus is the reason for the Season”. Other sermons will be given about how “Jesus is not the reason for the Season”. Still, some sermons will be given about how “Jesus is the reason for every Season”…and the list goes on. Google searches entitled “Was Jesus really born on December 25th?” will skyrocket this month, and there will be as many differing answers as there are stars in the heavens.

Time and space will not permit an in-depth look at this topic today, but let me suffice it to say this: for those who hold the belief that Jesus was not born in December, please remember to use this prime opportunity to talk about Christ while He is fresh on people’s minds (rather than squelch their passion in futile debate). For those of you who hold the belief that Jesus was born in December, please don’t forsake to honor Him all year round as well…He deserves so much more than a mere 25 days of remembrance.

Without further ado, this is not another lesson about Jesus’ birth day. It is, however, a lesson about Jesus’ birth mother – Mary.

Mary of Nazareth…who was she? To the ancient passerby, a pregnant traveler with an ordinary baby in her womb. To the practicing Catholic, a mediator between man and God. To the Atheist, a teenage girl of old who had a dirty secret and a big imagination. In truth, she was none of those things. She was an ordinary woman, but she carried no ordinary child. She assisted in bringing God to man (through pregnancy), but she does not assist in bringing man to God (through prayer). She had a big secret, but it was not the result of sin…

Mary was handpicked by God to be the vessel carrying the Savior into the world. Why? Was she some kind of superhuman? Was she sinless, perhaps? Or was it healthiness of body that made her fit for this role…a perfect reproductive system? None of these things are inferred by God’s word. Instead, I would propose that what made Mary fit for her role was, in a word…her heart. See, only an individual with A Mary Heart is qualified to fill the job position of Christ-bearer. And are we not all to bear Christ in our bodies, as temples of the living God? (2 Corinthians 4:10, 1 Corinthians 3:16) Therefore, the question I would like each of us to ask of ourselves this day is: “do I have a Mary heart?”

Come see for yourself! There are three essential qualities that distinguish A Mary Heart. Firstly, A Mary Heart is…

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine… – Proverbs 17:22a

The Bible tells us that a merry heart does good like a medicine, but did you know that a Mary heart does the same thing? Ironically, when we put on a heart like Mary, our hearts in turn will become merry.

A Mary Heart is a heart that defers. To defer means to submit one’s will to the will of another.

Who remembers the pitiful feeling of being sick as a child? On such occasions, you likely turned to your parents for comfort – yet immediately regretted it once a medicine-laden spoon made its way toward your mouth. If you were anything like me, that spoonful of bitter tonic was the bane of your existence. It would appear (in the moment) that eternal sickness would be better than ingesting one drop of that foul tasting medicine! Your parents perhaps said, “it doesn’t taste good, but it’s good for you”…yeah right, you may have thought, mean old Dad and Mom just want to see me suffer! However, once the bitter taste faded from your tongue and the sweetness of relief set in, all thoughts of distaste turned to gratitude. The benefit of the relieving outcome ended up outweighing the cost of the temporal discomfort. At the end of the day, your parents knew something you didn’t: medicine does good.

Practicing deference is a lot like taking medicine. Deferring our will to the will of another can be hard to do. Because of our selfish pride, deference is hard to swallow and leaves us with a bad taste in our mouth. Yet it does us good! The Christian life calls us to defer to God and those He has put in authority over us. The Lord, being the loving parent that He is, knows that a healthy spoonful of deference is just what the doctor ordered for relieving us of our sin-sickness. Instead of fighting our Father, we should realize that He knows best. Just like medicine, deference can seem foul in the moment. Yet an obedient, deferential life works the wonders of a healthy tonic. It will bring much needed relief to us – if only we will forsake our stubbornness and send it down the hatch!

Now what does all this have to do with Mary, the mother of Jesus? Allow me to point out what a powerful example of deference she was…

We are all familiar with Luke’s introductory account of Mary found in Luke chapter one: Gabriel travels to Nazareth, visits Mary, and apprises her of the upcoming role she has as mother of the Messiah. As only an engaged woman, she was shocked at such an announcement…sinning by fornication was not on her radar, and the wedding was not for some time! When Gabriel assured her that she would conceive by miraculous measures and that it was indeed God’s will, listen to what she said:

Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. – Luke 1:38a

This has to go down in history as one of the most inspiring sentences ever spoken. It is evident from her words that Mary had a deferring heart! The Lord’s will was her medicine, and she didn’t ask for a list of ingredients. She didn’t ask to sample a drop first to see how it tasted. She didn’t ask if she could spit it out if the flavor didn’t sit well with her. Rather, her attitude was one that deferred: Father said this tonic is good for me? I know He always wants what’s best for my life. What are you waiting for? Hand over that spoon! I’m ready to drink every last drop…I know great things are coming for me once I do. Medicine does good.

Now, none of us are going to be visited by an angel in this dispensation. In this day and age, God’s will is revealed to us in the Bible. Even so, this does not negate our responsibility to answer to God’s will in the same manner that Mary did. Regardless of the means by which we are apprised of God’s will, we all have to decide whether we will speedily defer to Him, or do things our own way…

Ask yourself: When I read the bible and the Lord’s will is revealed to me, do I try to fight His design for my life? Or will I be like Mary, and say “God wants [xyz] from me? Alright, sign me up! I may not know all that such a choice will entail, but I know obeying Him will always do me good just like medicine”

Having a heart that defers is having a heart like Mary – and a Mary heart is a merry heart!

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance… – Proverbs 15:13a

The Bible tells us that a merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but did you know that A Mary Heart does the same thing? Remember, when we put on a heart like Mary, our hearts in turn will become merry.

A Mary Heart is a heart that delights. To delight in something is to take great pleasure therein.

There is a misconception in our world that happiness is everything. “Do what makes you happy”…I have heard this expression countless times. The problem with over-emphasizing happiness is the fact that happiness is little more than a feeling…a fickle thing that comes and goes with whatever outside circumstance we find ourselves in at the moment. We feel happy when people are kind to us, and unhappy when they are unkind. We feel happy when we have a full bank account, but unhappy when the numbers decline. We feel happy when the weather is to our liking, and unhappy when it is too hot or too cold. Frankly, chasing happiness is exhausting…the moment you catch up with it, there it floats away again when circumstances change. Happiness is unsubstantial. You can’t count on it to stick around beyond the present moment; far less tomorrow, next week, next month or next year! I do not at all recommend chasing happiness, but I absolutely recommend seeking joy. Joy is not dependent upon outside sources, but comes from within. The joy of the Lord within us is durable, lasting, and has eternal merit. Joy has the power to cheer your countenance from the inside out…it is truly delightful.

Mary gives us a potent example of what it means to have true inner joy. One instance that gives us a peek into this joy was on the night of her Son’s birth. We all know the circumstance surrounding Jesus’ birth – the long, uncomfortable ride in the days preceding it; the lack of space at the inn upon arriving in Bethlehem; the unorthodox delivery in the midst of reeking livestock. The whole scenario would make most women’s heads spin. Yet I hardly believe it coincidental that there is no record given of Mary hurling complaints towards God, shrieking at her husband in frustration, or griping to the townspeople about her sorry lot. It would appear that the state of her heart kept any such actions in check. Truth be told, there are no recorded words of Mary on the night of Jesus’ birth to make an extraordinary case for what she did or did not say or do. However, listen to what is said about Mary on that evening:

…Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. – Luke 2:19b

An angry, discontented, woe-is-me individual is not one who ponders the ways of the Lord in their heart. When happiness is disturbed because of unfavorable circumstances, such people are volatile and irrational, unable to think of anyone but themselves. I don’t believe we see any such attitude in Mary. On the contrary, we see her inner joy…we see a woman delighting in the Lord regardless of the environment in which she found herself. We even see another instance of this later on in Luke chapter two. In Jesus’ twelfth year, He and His family were in Jerusalem and He stayed behind talking with learned men as His group went on without Him (you know the account…). When His location was discovered, and He explained to His parents that Him doing Lordly things was something they were going to have to grow accustomed to…what did it say of His mother?

…his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. – Luke 2:51

Bear in mind that this is over a decade jump from the first time we heard similar words of Mary. Her heart had remained as joyous and delightful as ever…this was a woman who craved the things of God. Do we ponder the things of God in all circumstances? Do we rely on joy to carry us through life, as opposed to fleeting happiness? Do our hearts maintain good cheer throughout the years?

Having a heart that delights is having a heart like Mary – and a Mary heart is a merry heart!

…he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. – Proverbs 15:15b

The Bible says that when you have a merry heart you have a continual feast, but did you know that a Mary heart does the same thing? Remember, when we put on a heart like Mary, our hearts in turn will become merry.

A Mary Heart is one that declares. To declare is to proclaim something in an emphatic manner.

I don’t talk about sports all that much. It’s not that I hate sports, or even find them foolish or a waste of time. Bottom line, I’m simply just not very interested in them. I don’t play sports, I don’t watch sports on television, and I don’t watch sports from the bleachers. Therefore you would hardly ever hear me carrying on a conversation about sports…I would have nothing to say on a matter I’m unfamiliar with and uninvolved in. You surely wouldn’t hear me declaring my ideas about sports (frankly, I don’t have any) – the passion is not in me.

Now whether someone like sports or not is neither here nor there. Yet such a concept can easily illustrate our heart towards God. Let’s turn the previous paragraph to a different light:

I don’t talk about God all that much. It’s not that I hate Him, or even find His ways foolish or a waste of time. Bottom line, I’m just not very interested in Him. I don’t pray to Him, I don’t fellowship with the church, I don’t read my Bible. Therefore you would hardly ever hear me carrying on a conversation about God…I would have nothing to say about Someone I’m unfamiliar with and uninvolved with. You surely wouldn’t hear me declaring my ideas about God (frankly, I don’t have any) – the passion is not in me.

Whether we’re talking about sports or the God of the Universe, it is a fact that people tend to talk about what they love. When people are passionate about God, it is as if a continual feast is pouring from their lips…an invitation to others to come and “chew on” spiritual matters. If we have little ability to carry on a spiritual conversation, it is an indication that our spirit is stunted and we have work to do! Let us look to Mary’s beautiful example of declaration, which is yet another proof of her beautiful heart…

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed forever. – Luke 1:46-55

That girl had some serious passion! The words we just read were the overflow of a grateful heart…a heart that was compelled to share the goodness of the Lord with others. She spoke of what the Lord had done personally in her life, she spoke of His character and His ways, and she spoke of what He had done in the lives of His people before she was even born! Her declaration left a continuous, bountiful feast before her cousin Elisabeth, and the richness of the truths she spoke has extended even unto us in this modern age.

Are we passionate about the Lord? Are His praises ever on our lips? Do we enjoy engaging in spiritual discussion, or are we bored stiff at the very thought?

Having a heart that declares is having a heart like Mary – and a Mary heart is a merry heart!

In conclusion…

Mary, did you know?

As the classic song suggests, Mary likely didn’t know all that she was signing up for when she agreed to conceive, birth, and raise the Savior of the world. Likely, she didn’t think at first about how she would be judged as having fornicated with her groom-to-be when her growing midsection began to show. It probably didn’t cross her mind that she would one day be fleeing for her baby’s life at the hands of a cruel king. I bet she didn’t guess that her child would grow up to be mocked, ridiculed, and falsely accused. I guarantee she didn’t know that she would watch her cherished Son be tortured and murdered in front of her very eyes. All she knew was that the Lord asked her to perform His will…and she said yes. I want to have a heart like Mary…what about you?

A Mary Heart is a heart that defers, a heart that delights, and a heart that declares. Put on these virtues, and the words might equally be spoken to you that were spoken to the mother of our Lord:

Fear not, Mary [and your name here]: for thou hast found favour with God. – Luke 1:30

Every “Mary Heart” merits favor. Want to be a woman with a merry heart? Then you must begin to cultivate a heart like Mary.

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.