It’s not enough to merely have a change of heart when this doesn’t also lead to a change in our behaviors. And all too often we’re waiting on others to believe we’ve changed without first showing any fruit of our repentance. This calls for us to show the good and not just avoid the bad.
To be sure, it’s always good when we see the error of our ways and no longer want to do the bad we used to do. This change in our heart attitudes is a good first step. But it’s not sufficient. And this is especially true in the context of our relationships. We must show the change we’ve made by the life we now live.
For instance, we might have a change of heart toward our wife after years of taking her for granted or otherwise being critical of her. And certainly this new heart will keep us from going back to our old ways of treating her, which is good, but also not enough. We must also proactively show her the change – making visible the internal shifts of our heart. This might mean actively moving toward her, blessing her, and building an atmosphere in our home for her to flourish. Whatever it looks like, it’s making the fruit of our repentance evident.
A change of heart without the action is like clearing out a field but never planting or producing crops. While it’s no longer overgrown with weeds, it remains barren and unable to bless others. And love calls us to do more than just eliminate the bad. We must also produce a fruit of goodness and light.
In the end, celebrate your change of heart without stopping here. Continue on to produce the fruit of repentance by allowing your life and actions to match the good your heart has now turned toward.
Photo by Andrea Cairone on Unsplash
