A former colleague I worked with phoned to tell me she had wheat buds and knowing I like to make bread, would grind the buds and give me the flour. Wheat buds are hard kernels of wheat and in that state they can last indefinitely. Once they are ground though, the flour will have a life span, so it must be used up. If I saw a need, she said, I could help people out by giving them bread. I was touched by her concern for others and her generosity.
It got me thinking. How easy is it, the longer we live, to develop a hardened shell around our heart. We get hurt enough times and sure enough the wall grows. And in our state of self-protection we miss opportunities to reach out to others or to fulfil what we were meant to do. So much is lost. Rather than letting troubles harden us, we need to let the love of God soften our hearts. He promises to help us in every situation when we trust Him. He is only a prayer away.
