Little kids have all sorts of sayings. Step on a crack, break my mother’s back. Pinky swear. Jinx—you owe me a coke! Slug bug! One of the phrases I remember hearing often when someone promised they were telling me the truth was, “Cross my heart and hope to die.” I never wanted to say that one because who would want to die? But then again, avoiding those sidewalk cracks to prevent Mom’s broken back was a biggie, too!
As grown-ups, let’s adopt a new phrase. “Cross my heart and hope to love.” Loving others is a matter of the heart. Loving God is a matter of the heart. Even loving self as Jesus wants us to—a matter of the heart. Let’s see what the Scriptures say.