The Hard Heart

If you listen to or read about near death experiences, there is a universal message within.  They talk about a light and a feeling of pure, unconditional love.  They know they experienced the presence of God.
I know of none who said God yelled at them and then sent them back to fix anyone on earth.  Rather, they came back with a new understanding of what love is really about and a deep sense of peace.  Their hearts are open and kind.  Their soul has been touched, experienced the presence of God and they are forever changed.
As we walk our own spiritual path, we need to be mindful of our heart and soul.  There are many who skew religious teachings in a manner that requires developing a hard heart to follow.  Their inspiration is not coming from God.  They have created God in their own image to justify their hard heart.
We see it in how they behave and in the results of what they do.  They create fear, division and destruction.  We see it in the halls of Congress.  We hear it on "Christian" radio.  It's preached from some pulpits.   Fear - division - destruction - punishment - a calling for a hard heart.
We generally don't realize our hearts are being hardened.  It's a long slow process. 
The first step is the belief that you are specially chosen or you have chosen to be specially endowed by God.
Next is to develop the belief that you are obligated and privileged to lead others to follow the same direction.
Once these two steps are well established, you become part of a protected class.  Now it's easy to be convinced that most anything is permitted if the name of God is stamped on it.  There's often a euphoria attached to it.  Winning battles in the name of God. 
There's a constant need to whip up the frenzy and keep the focus on "God's work".  If voices of opposition and reason say you are going too far, stay away from the actual issue and focus on how they are impinging on your religious freedom.  Become a victim and hang onto it with all your might.
Your heart is now hardened.
You have lost sight of God.
It's time to seek the light.  First, realize that God is a part of everything and everyone.  Everyone and everything is special to God.  (Boy, that's a rough one for me sometimes.)  We need to walk humbly in recognition of the "awe" of God which is all encompassing, unconditional love.  Don't be a conduit of fear, division, destruction and punishment.  Battle for understanding.
Walk away from the hard heart.  Protect yours from becoming hard.