Eric's Beijing Diary

DAY FOUR

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23)

What does this mean? And how do we do it?

If man is created as a three-part being--body, soul, and spirit (pneuma, psyche, and soma), then how does the "heart" fit into the picture? The heart is the spirit and soul. The flesh is the body and soul in rebellion against the spirit. If the spirit is strong and healthy, and in open fellowship with God, then it will be able to keep the soul in subjection, which is the essence of a pure heart. But if the flesh is in control, this means that the body and soul are in rebellion against the spirit, and the heart, of course, is divided. This is the root of all kinds of problems in the life of a man or woman of faith. So the key to a pure heart is maintaining harmony between spirit and soul. Throughout the generations of time that men have struggled with this problem, there have, from time to time, been religious movements that tried to address the issue by suppressing the soul. Anything that might appeal to the soul would be denied, or suppressed, or repudiated. This error has often produced a world where the only people allowed to involved with the arts were those who had no concerns about purity of heart.

So if suppressing the soul is not the solution, how should we address this issue? I believe that we should encourage music and the arts, but I believe that they should be developed in a context of holiness. If people are completely dedicated to God, their art and their music will reflect that, because art is the expression of the soul. Bottom line: purity of heart is much more important than purity of art.

"Father, I pray that every portion of my life would be governed by my relationship with you. I do not live like these monks. My life is not all about religion. Day by day, I am involved with some things that do not seem to be very spiritual. But I really desire that all my life would be under the control of your Spirit. I do not want to live a life that has a "spiritual side" and a "secular side." Please show me how to be completely given to you. Take control of every corner of my existence."