The Tribe of the Transplanted

In his book, Primal, Mark Batterson (who will speak at The Gathering in January in Jacksonville) tells a story from Charles Siebert’s book, A Man After His Own Heart. He describes the effects of a human heart transplant he observed at New York’s Presbyterian Hospital. He then attended an annual banquet put on by the hospital for every heart transplant recipient. 

While listening to their stories, Siebert was deeply moved by their profound appreciation for life.  They spoke in reverent tones about the second chance at life they had been given.  They humbly acknowledged their responsibility to honor the donors.  And many of them talked about new desires that accompanied their new hearts.  Siebert concluded– and his research is backed up by numerous medical studies– that transplant recipients don’t just receive a new heart.  Along with that new heart, they receive whole new sensory responses, cravings, and habits.  Siebert called this group of heart recipients “the tribe of the transplanted.”

Exactly! When an individual asks Christ to come into his (or her) heart, the same thing should happen.  The old is to go. The new is to take over. Desires and habits of the world are transplanted or traded for the character, thoughts, direction, and likeness of Jesus. Just as the “recipient” of a new heart is grateful for a new opportunity at life, so should a Christian be for new life in Christ. Because of the grace and compassion of a donor, new life is received. The grace and compassion of Jesus gives His followers reason to live out “new life” every day.

I’m glad to be part of the “tribe of the transplanted.”  All who believe on Jesus as Savior and Lord can be in the same “tribe.”  Live the promise of Ezekiel 36:26: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Dr. Jim Dunn is general director of Spiritual Formation.