Attitude of the heart more important, says vicar.

A few years back there was a TV advert involving a man who looked like a sports coach giving a pep talk, enthusiastically talking about ‘giving it all you’ve got’ and having a ‘positive mental attitude’ to be a winner. As the camera panned out, though, it was revealed that it was an over-enthusiastic dad encouraging his son at the start of the school sack race!

I think ‘positive mental attitudes’ are overrated. More important is attitude of heart.

A positive attitude of heart is a guarantee that you, and others, can be transformed rather than just thinking yourself into it. That’s why Lent is so important, not to decide (a head thing) to give up something for the sake of it but to change your desire (a heart thing) away from yourself/chocolate/wine/whatever towards God.

Jesus summed it up perfectly: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”