I want to consider the word "hardened" in the text. This translates the Greek word "skleruno" which is the very same word from which we get the word sclerosis in English. You may be most familiar with this word in the description of a disease called arteriosclerosis, which is the hardening and thickening of the arteries.
If you're over 40 you've probably had your cholesterol checked. High cholesterol contributes to the build up of gunk in the blood vessels and that's not good. This is a inherited health issue I struggle with. No amount of proper diet lowers the numbers thus, it has to be maintained through prescriptions.
Taking care of your physical health is important but it's even more important to take care of your spiritual health. The warning in the daily text is every bit as needed today. We all know people that have become hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Satan is a crafty, creative, and persistent foe. His specific weapons will change, but his strategy and goal are always the same. He wants to harden our hearts.
Today, I urge you to look for someone to encourage. It seems to me from reading the text the act of encouraging is beneficial both to the encourager as well as the one being encouraged. Be vigilant in the fight against spiritual arteriosclerosis caused by the cholesterol of sin!
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