Black Heart

A common phrase, worn almost as a badge of honor, amongst Gen Z’ers is the Black Heart 🖤

Maybe you’ve heard it? Seen the emoji? This is actually my first time using the emoji.

I don’t too often agree with or use the social labels of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, (am I missing any generations?) unless of course, I’m joking around with my children. I don’t too much care for labels.

I have noticed, however that many of the teens of today, do (I daresay) falsely believe, promote, and lead this life congruent with having a black heart. I asked a some teens, what does that even mean – to have a black heart?

The responses startled me: I don’t care about anyone/I don’t have feelings/I’ll eat you alive/I don’t like people/

I believe that God made us as relational beings. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Genesis 2:18 KJV

He made us to care for others, because He cares for us.. We were made by God, for God, in the image and likeness of God.

So, I sit and wonder.. Have we reached the era spoken of by Jesus to the disciples in Matthew 24? And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24:12‭-‬13 KJV

One glance at the news on any given day, it would appear so… It’s rather heartbreaking, isn’t it? It would seem as though it has become widely expected and even accepted that we don’t have to necessarily care for one another. We can choose to harden our hearts and it doesn’t matter.

I don’t understand this at all.

I cannot help but cling to the words of Jesus: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37‭-‬40 KJV

And, you know, maybe the teens are correct in their descriptions of having a black heart. However, as we align in with the Word of God, I know for a fact that Jesus came to this earth, put on corruption, suffered and died, for the sole purpose of offering us a new heart, cleansing us, and placing His Spirit inside of us.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 KJV

See, whether you have a black heart or identify with feelings related to whatever it may mean to have a black, cold, stony heart – this is the purpose of that 66 book love letter from God, also known as the Holy Bible. From the foundation of the world, the intention has been and continues to be that God will give us a new heart and a new spirit. That He will be our God and we will be His people. We will abide in Him and He will live in us.

*Original Image by C.B