They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Ephesians 4:18
We go through quite a few bags of pretzels in my house, but we get tired of them after a while. Even though we’ll eat the hard pretzels, we especially enjoy the soft ones. When I bring them home from the store, my boys can’t wait until they’re made!
At the local pretzel place, I’ve watched the bakers take dough and make that pliable rope into an actual pretzel by doing some fancy hand and wrist movements. It’s in a wonderful shape to go into the oven to bake. When they pull it out, it’s hot, soft, and delicious! The steam comes out as a piece is torn off…so good!
Those hard pretzels are a different story. We can’t tear a piece off one of those because they’ll snap and break. Even though they both went through an oven, one got hardened and one stayed soft. Whereas my oldest can’t eat the hard ones, he sure can eat the soft ones. They’re easier for the braces to deal with! Not only will the pretzels themselves snap, they can also snap a wire so we have to be careful. They have a negative effect on braces for sure!
People are quite a bit like those pretzels. Think about it. We all go through the heat, and some of us get hardened while others stay soft. The light goes out of the hardened ones. The softened hearts are more exciting, just like the softened pretzels; they attract more attention. More people are drawn to them and they get chosen more.
Once someone is hardened, they’re more likely to snap because they no longer understand those around them. Because of a hardened heart, they’re ignorant to the wisdom of God. When they don’t have His wisdom, they’re blind to what others are really meaning and are unable to love like He loves.
I challenge you to take a look at your heart. Is it still soft and pliable, letting in God’s light and wisdom? Is it getting a bit hardened that you’re unable to see anyone else’s point of view? Let me put it this way…do you insist that you’re always right without trying to understand another’s thoughts? Remember that nothing is too big for God. He can change that hardened heart right around!
Also, be careful being around those with a hardened heart. You will most likely get snapped at because they’re living in a pretty dark world. Be the bigger person in that situation and show your soft heart by not snapping back. People are more excited to be sharing space with a gentle bunny than a snapping turtle!
