An Immodest Proposal

Coinciding with the release of the latest Apple iPhone, a young computer programmer in Southern China proposed to his girlfriend in a rather unusual and public way. Surrounded by dozens of witnesses and 99 of the new phones arrayed in the shape of a giant heart, he asked for his girlfriend’s hand in marriage. Despite his efforts, which cost him an estimated $82,000 for the trendy new devices, his girlfriend, who the man was certain would say “yes,” had a change of heart, and instead said “No.” In terms of the wisdom of his, shall we say “immodest proposal,” we can well imagine that the young man has since had a change of heart as well.

In all of His preaching and teaching, Jesus consistently calls for a change of heart that reaches deep down, beneath the surface changes of fad and fashion. Jesus calls for a change of heart so radical, so profound, as to convert His followers into loving witnesses to the…