The heart has basic needs. Not just my heart, but all hearts. As humans we often desire many things, but I’ve become incredibly aware of the root of all desires. The most simplistic way to express the deepest desire of each person is that we all long to love and be loved. No matter which way you frame it, you desire to give love and receive love. Your thoughts, your feelings, your motives, your actions, all revolve around this most basic need.

As we grow older and are confronted with worldliness and baggage of the human way, we begin to build up our walls. We put down brick and mortar around our hearts because then we can control who we allow to love us and who we choose to love in return and we put limitations on our human hearts. But the desire remains. You can build a wall of brick around your heart, but you’re not fooling anyone, your deepest desire is still to love and be loved. I’m not referring to only a spousal kind of love, sure that definitely is included, but love in the most basic way – from family, friends, co-workers, even acquaintances.

Look at the way Jesus lived. His life was defined by radical acts of love for ALL people: the sick, the poor, His mother and father, the Apostles, the passerby on the street who recognized His omnipotence. He just loves – deeply and purely.

Jesus loved all even though so many persecuted Him, scourged Him, and ultimately crucified Him. Even on the cross He was able to say, ‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they do’ [Luke 23:34]. Do you have the strength and tenacity to love like that? Do you love your enemies, those who persecute and condemn you? Do you love because you are called to love? Or do you choose instead to continue laying down brick and mortar to build up that wall around your heart?

If you’ve been building up a brick wall around your heart as a means of protecting your heart from being broken, you have to then realize you are also building a brick wall to deflect ALL opportunities to love. Not only are you distancing your heart from those that have hurt you or you fear might hurt you again in the future, you are also distancing yourself from the love of your family, friends, and whomever God might decide to bring into your life. But most importantly, if you are building up a wall around your heart, you are also shielding your heart from the greatest love of all… the love of God.

Is it worth it? Is your fear of getting hurt greater than your desire for God’s love?

There is a sensitive heart in dire need of love behind every cold, strong facade.

Things aren’t always as they appear. On the contrary, it’s often those who seem the most unaffected on the outside that are the most affected on the inside.

The choice is yours. Do you wish to falsely appear as happy and strong on the outside when that is not how your heart feels, or do you wish to be vulnerable and allow yourself to be truly loved?