Poop happens, as the saying goes. But it’s never easy to wipe its effects from your heart, your soul. When my friend said those things about my non-motherly ways, I wondered if I’d ever trust again.

In a very real sense, she pooped on me. And she left me to clean up the mess. As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t know how to do this. Instead, I haphazardly tried to deal with it (I did talk to her about her comment) and move on.

The insidious thing that happened: I began to believe everyone I met from henceforth to eternity was bent on pooping on me. I let that incident and many others like it convince me that everyone was a potential threat.

I walled off myself in a comfortable compound, a fortress of my own making. And for a period of time, this worked beautifully for me. No one hurt me in my safe place.

That safe place, free from the pooping antics of others, eventually morphed into a sterile, controlled prison cell. Sure, I didn’t cry, but I also didn’t belly-laugh. In walling myself off, I prevented both pain and joy.

That’s no way to live, friends.

I don’t believe living closedhearted is Jesus’ desire for us, either.

Jesus modeled non-bitter living, daring to wash the feet of those who would abandon or betray Him. He loved. He forgave. He moved on from heartache. He lived the most openhearted life known to history.

This intersection of people pooping on us and watching openhearted Jesus became the way I learned to tear down the walls around my heart. I dare to believe you can, too.

Because I don’t want you to live in fear of other people’s antics. I don’t want you to live embittered. I don’t want you to stay safe anymore.

Why?

Because living closed off will not change this brokenhearted world. You were made for more than expending all your energy to protect yourself. Click to tweet this.

The formula should not be poop + protection = safety.

The formula needs to be poop + an ancient roadmap = openhearted living.

Stay tuned for the ancient roadmap in my next post.