Cartoonology

Cartoonology. There is great theology in cartoons and comics.

I’m sure you still remember giving out all those little Valentine cards in grade school, or maybe you still do it? I distinctly remember my fifth grade year. That year I could not decide who would be my favorite Valentine. I was going to give her the best card. I made a list of girls in the class and ranked them in order of preference. I kept reordering it. Everything was going very well until the teacher (she will remain nameless and so will the girls) caught me and then embarrassed me by reading the list to the class. That was a horrible un-valentine moment. Besides that, I never was one of those guys who ever got many Valentine cards from girls, especially the girls I liked.

Have you ever wondered why the heart became the symbol for love? I suppose it came from ancient times when people thought the heart was the seat of emotions as well as moral and spiritual life. After all, it is the heart that goes pitter patter when you are in love. The ancients did not know that the mind was actually the seat of emotions, so the heart was the natural choice for them. I also suppose that is why scripture uses language indicating that love flows from the heart.

Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV)
37 Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

You will notice that Jesus also uses the word “mind” when it comes to loving God, as well as the word “soul”. I guess no one can imagine a picture of the soul and a picture of the brain doesn’t seem so appropriate either, so why not the heart? The Greek word used here in the original language is “kardia” from which we get our English word “cardiac”. It was used figuratively for thoughts and feelings.

The whole point, however, is to love God with all your being, with all you got and with all you are. The Lord also pointed out that we are to love people the same way and naturally that would include your spouse or sweetheart. I guess it would be safe to say that when we stop loving we have experienced cardiac arrest. Not good! 02-13-09

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