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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Don't Be a Stupid Emotional Idiot

Wanna know what the worst possible advice is? I guarantee someone has given it to you at some point in your life. You may have even advised someone else with this line. What is it?


"Follow your heart" 
We hear this All. The. Time. 

I've always hated this saying, even though at first glance it sounds nice. Then today, Lady Antebellum got their song Compass stuck in my head. Which makes me mad, because the only lyrics I know are "So let your heart sweetheart be your compass when you're lost and you should follow it wherever it may go" and I hate this sentiment! 


Following your heart is how you make stupid decisions. For example, if I had listened to my heart when I woke up this morning, I would have shut off my alarm and slept til 1pm. Then I would have blown off work and all responsibility, spent my bill money on a plane ticket to London, and stalked Benedict Cumberbatch until he married me. Finally, we would have a cumberbatch of adorable British babies, and hang out with all The Doctors and Martin Freeman and live happily ever after (Moffat's not allowed near us).

Obviously, my heart is not the reason I am a well-adjusted adult.

Here's the truth:
[photo source. Quotation mine.]

Sorry to break it to you, but your heart is stupid. The Bible calls it "deceitful above all things and desperately sick" (Jeremiah 17:9). It also says to "guard your heart", not to follow it (Proverbs 4:23). And why do you think David was always asking for a pure heart? Because our hearts are messed up. Left to their own devices, our hearts will lead us to short-term comfort, bad decisions, and heartache.

Yes, our hearts are important. They hold our dreams, our emotions, our passions. Ultimately, our hearts are who we are. We shouldn't completely ignore what our heart is telling us. But because the heart is the seat of our emotions and dreams, they can be fickle, which leads to stupid decisions. God knew this about us, so gave us a brain and the Holy Spirit to help make the right choices. When we add these two into the mix, we are able to wisely follow the dreams in our heart. 

For example, I am now saving and planning for a trip to London where I can "accidentally" run into Benny, and researching the UKs laws regarding stalking so I don't end up in prison. 

So do me a favor and stop saying this? Maybe say, "Follow the Spirit", or even, "Follow your dreams", but stop following your heart. Don't be a stupid emotional idiot. Be a brilliant rational boss.

What did your heart tell you today? What should we say instead of "Follow your dreams"? 

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