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Jeremiah says, “The heart is more deceitful than all else…” (Jer.14:7). We should understand that direction derived from our deceitful hearts can deceive us religiously. We also need to understand that our heart can distort perceptions of reality in all relationships. Dramatic distortions can be either negative or positive, depending on whether the heart is full of love or hate.

Newlyweds can be almost comical in their devoted views, hence, the expression, “Love is blind.”  “When a Man Loves a Woman” is a song recorded by Percy Sledge in 1966. It made number one on the charts in both America and England. The song says, “When a man loves a woman…If she’s bad he can’t see it. She can do no wrong… If she plays him for a fool He’s the last one to know. Lovin’ eyes can’t ever see.”

Negative distortions can be just as dramatic and just as comical as the following timely story illustrates.

Two boys are playing football in the park of a small town in Texas. Suddenly, one of the boys is attacked by a crazed Rottweiler. Thinking quickly, the other boy takes a stick and shoves it under the dog’s collar and twists it. Breaking the dog’s neck, he saves his friend.

A sports reporter who was strolling by sees the incident and rushes over to interview the boy. He tells the boy he’s going to write the story. I’ll title it ‘Young Longhorn Fan Saves Friend from Vicious Animal’.”

“But I'm not a Longhorn fan,” the little hero replies. “Sorry, since we’re in Texas, I just assumed you were,” says the reporter and he starts writing again. He asks, “How does ‘Aggie Fan Rescues Friend From Horrific Attack’... sound?” “I’m not an Aggie fan either,” the boy says. “Oh, I thought everyone in Texas was either for the Aggies or the Longhorns. What team do you root for?” the reporter asks.

“I’m just visiting my cousin, I’m an OU fan,” the boy replies.... “They’re just the best!” The reporter smiles, starts a new sheet in his notebook: “Little Red-neck From Oklahoma Kills Beloved Family Pet.”

When bitterness toward brethren is allowed to dwell in our hearts, our perception of everything they do is distorted. God demands, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice,” Eph. 4:31. Rather, we read, “This I command you, that you love one another,” Jn.15:17.

Practical results of the two contrasting attitudes are as different as night and day. Paul says, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things,”  I Cor.13:4-7.