In every generation, the human heart faces the temptation to harden itself against others. Scripture names this condition with clarity: the “stiff neck” that refuses correction and the “heart of stone” that grows numb to suffering. These images reveal the spiritual cost of pride, defensiveness, and indifference. Yet they also point toward a divine promise — the possibility of renewal. A softened heart is not a sign of weakness but of spiritual vitality. It is the place where
