HEART DEBT

Debt is an amount of something owed… money, time, skill, Crackerjacks, potatoes or whatever. As Proverbs teaches: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is the slave to the lender” (22:7). There isn’t debt any longer once it is paid or conditions are fulfilled. It is when the borrower has paid the debt and is no longer obligated to the lender.

In the night I recently heard the term ‘Heart Debt.’ My first response was: ‘What do I owe…and to whom?’ As I sorted through this I started ‘my list’ of those I may have Heart Debt. Of course I started with Roz, our children, extended family, friends, associations through years of work related relationships, neighbors, deals that went South, deals I wish I could do over, public messages and writing that I wish would have been done/said differently… and by the time I processed this, my Heart Debt load was almost as great as the US Government’s debt load (maybe not quite that big). But, I was mentally and emotionally smashed flat.

Then (as often happens) I read this by Jack Kornfield, author and teacher: “If your compassion does not include yourself it is incomplete.”

I have lots of Heart Debt, but until I deal with what I owe to my self I am “the slave of the lender.” If I put myself in debt, I must get myself out of debt. If any of us puts ourselves in debt, it is also up to us to get ourselves out of debt.

“Do not let your hearts be distressed… Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; I do not give it to you as the world does. Do not let your heart be distresses or lacking in courage.” Jesus