Hearts and Hands

This Sunday at Epworth we will be reflecting on one of John Wesley’s (the founder of the Methodist church) often quoted line from 2 Kings 10:15 “If your heart is as mine, then take my hand.” And the scripture from Matthew 22:36-40 36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."


The national slogan for the United Methodist Church is “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” If we are to do more than simply pay lip service to this ideal then we need to think carefully about what it is that holds us together even when we hold diverse ideological, political or theological ideas.

The following is from Wesley’s sermon, “The catholic spirit”:


Everyone, of course must have opinions and believe that their opinion is true or they would change their opinion, but we must know in general that we are mistaken about some things, we just don’t know in particular what they are.


A wise person, therefore, will allow some liberty to others that they hope will be extended back, that is they will no more insist on their embracing his opinions than he would have them to insist on his embracing theirs. One has to be patient with those who differ from oneself, and only asks those with whom you desire to unite in love that single question: "Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?"


Do you truly seek a loving life?