The Heart I Got

In our recent discipleship class at church, I learned about a man named Bill Wohl. Bill had a new heart. Days after receiving it, he opened a letter from Michael Brady's family. Michael Brady gave Bill his heart after Michael died doing what he loved. His heart was removed and transplanted into the heart of another man, this Bill Wohl.

According to the story, when Bill opened the letter from the Brady family, he couldn't believe what he read. But a little about Bill will help lay the reasons why. See, Bill was a type A, overweight, money-obsessed businessman pursuing a jet-setter lifestyle. That was Bill with his old heart.

Michael's family wrote Bill and included pictures of Michael and some background information. Michael was a 36-year old, good-looking, super-fit stuntman who died on the job. Bill thought, "Are you kidding me? That's whose heart I got?"

Today Bill works part time, spending most of his new-found energy winning speed and performance medals in swimming, cycling and track. This is Bill with his new heart.

As we begin a new week, let's remember that when we accepted Jesus, He gave us a new heart; His. Our response should mirror Bill's. "Are you kidding me? That's whose heart I got?"

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: New week, new heart. What will we do with it? We woke up today with fresh mercy and grace. Grace, of course, is God giving us what we don't deserve and mercy, of course, is not getting what we do deserve. That's why we strive. (Try finding a more compelling reason. I assure you, you can't.) What can we pray for today? What does your week have in store? Let's pray. I'll start. "Unspoken."