Day 211, Year 1

Do You Pay Attention to Others or Yourself?

“My mother’s sons were angry with me; They made me caretaker of the vineyards, But I have not taken care of my own vineyard.” (Song of Solomon 1:6b NASB)

As mentioned previously, some people like to talk about themselves before others. Yet, some people only like speaking about other people. This is particularly true for those who lack self-confidence, because the consequences of speaking about others’ affairs are less personal. And whether the listeners like it or not, the possibility of being challenged is minimal, thus providing them with a sense of security. In addition, some people like to use others’ affairs to unravel the listener’s values, boundaries, or preferences, etc., viewing it as a first step in building interpersonal relationships.

When we consider the truth of “dining” with the Lord Jesus, we may notice that some believers are not well prepared to receive Jesus because they have not been the caretakers of their own souls. As mentioned in today’s verse, they did not take good care of their “vineyards,” and their places are therefore likely a mess. In other words, some people, whether by force or by choice, have not managed their souls well. In this case, it is quite difficult for them to welcome Jesus into their hearts.

Today’s verse mentions that some people are forced to tend to others’ “vineyards,” leaving them with no time to care for theirs. The neglected vineyards might become overgrown with weeds, or many fruits might be stolen before the appointed harvest; worst yet, the vineyard might be illegally occupied by others. Similarly, some believers have neglected their own hearts but instead take care of others, labeling this as an act of self-denial. But this is a misinterpretation of Jesus’ words. To deny ourselves is to take good care of ourselves according to His will, but not our will. Frankly, how can people deny themselves if they are not attending to their own souls? Thus, we should look after our hearts and souls according to God’s will, including resolutely resisting all forms of oppression.

Constantly struggling to earn a living or striving for extrinsic achievements, some people are prone to turn a blind eye to their own hearts. To follow Jesus’ invitation, we should first focus on our hearts and remove the weeds before we can follow His words and bear the fruit. Perhaps, before all this, we should establish clear boundaries for our hearts, completely driving out all uninvited guests—everything within that does not belong to God or that we do not want either. In this way, we can then welcome Jesus into our hearts in the right way!

Reflection questions:

1) Is your life’s focus usually more on yourself or others? Is there anything in your life that needs to be changed?

2) Before welcoming the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart, would you need to take good care of your heart and even drive away certain people, ties, or things that infringe on His sovereignty over your life? If so, what would you do?