When was the last time you checked in with your heart? What did you find there? This may sound like an odd question, but it is a worthwhile one. Throughout our lives, we encounter joy and sorrow, exhilaration and pain, and we carry those feelings with us. Our hearts may be inclined toward toughness if we have been badly hurt. Our hearts may be soft if we are grieving. Sometimes, we are not aware of what we are carrying until we check in with ourselves.
We encounter a famous heart this week in Va-eira. After God brings each of the first seven plagues against Pharoah, we are told that God “hardened Pharoah’s heart.” Reading through that English translation, we might interpret that Pharoah wished to soften and open his heart, but God prevented him from doing so. Yet, the two Hebrew words that are translated as “hardened” come from roots that mean “to strengthen” and “to honor.” Understood in this way, God helps Pharoah along the path he is already walking. God strengthens Pharoah’s resolve.
When we do not examine our hearts, we risk them growing too strong in a particular direction. We can become the opposite of Pharoah by intentionally directing our hearts and by choosing to soften in the face of suffering and pain.