In simple terms, access means “the means or opportunity to approach or enter a place”.

Millennials and Gen Z are whom we commonly call the “Digital Generation”.

And the word “ACCESS” is commonly used to mean being able to open anything related to an entrance, i.e., a door, computer, laptop, data, an app, cell phone or any other digitally related items.

But what is the actual meaning of ACCESS in simple terms?

Suppose it is a noun or a verb. In that case, access is “the means or opportunity to approach or enter a place”, or in a digital world, “to obtain or retrieve (computer data or a file)”, which means that one has to take a step forward to be able to come to the point of having the right to engage in any of the activities intended.

ENTRY POINTS

Physical, mind, heart & soul

The prominent part of this statement is that the entry point for stepping into any place is most often performed in the PHYSICAL realm, like entering a home, a school, an office, a condominium, a hotel, a car park, a concert venue and so on. That is, we go into places without thinking about it or feeling about it because it happens so ordinarily.

The second level of entry is to the MIND. This is when you open your intelligence to the information you want to explore, which will assist you in getting what you need.

The innermost part of ACCESS is to none other than our HEART & SOUL. Do they always go hand in hand? Ask yourself and define its meaning on your own…But what do other people define it as?

They say the heart is seen as the place of emotions and ideals. And because it is the place of emotions and “deepest thoughts”, it is a part of the soul. It seems like our hearts and soul are an inseparable duo that can’t be told apart from each other.

Yet they are the most dangerous access points we can let anyone enter through.

W.D.Y.L.I.

(Who do you let in)

As individuals, we are surrounded by people: our own family, extended families, friends who are so close that we call them family too, our friends, and the community we live in. All these people make an impact on our daily lives and on how we think, how we behave and how we exercise the faith that we have.

Unknowingly, we are defined by our current circumstances and relationships. Who we are, depends on how much access we have given them. But our lives shouldn’t be like a public park in which anyone can wander into our hearts and minds (even public parks have rules of use, by the way).

Let me give you an illustration of the different levels of access. Let’s say you are watching a movie featuring sophisticated and intelligent robbers. The robbers get the right people to open the doors of the bank one layer at a time until they reach the innermost vault. Well, at every point, they might have to change the person who has the passwords, or they might get one who can open all the earlier doors but not the heart of the bank, i.e., the vault. They refer the robbers to the topmost person, the only one who can get through that door. Of course, they must get to that human being to get the job done! And as the movie goes on, they will eventually get to that vault and…I’ll leave the rest of the story up to you to imagine. (Make it a happy ending, okay?)

GUARD YOUR HEART

Proverbs 4:23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. — NLT

The underlying question is why do we have to guard it?

I couldn’t agree more that the heart matters, and we must take all matters to heart. This is where the physical body, emotions, and intelligence should reunite.

Back in the mid-90s, when I was in my mid-twenties, I was at a crossroads about where my life should go after working in a foreign land for four years. Should I continue to work until my thirties, or should I settle down and start a family? It was quite a tough decision for me at that time. But one thing that remained in my mind as I said a little prayer was, “Lord, please be with me.”

Many years later, we are raising our kids, and this heart has always been beating for God in whatever decision I have to make. Well, not all, to be honest—I’m still learning to depend on Him daily. That’s why we are taught to pray for our “daily bread”. It has to be fresh daily.

This heart is constantly learning and changing, and maturing. If we allow God to mould and guide us, I’m sure He will see to it that the path leads to a blessing!

THREE THINGS

An unhealthy heart threatens your health, family, friends and everything!

This is why I feel King Solomon has to stress in this proverb: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

First, your heart is of very great value. How do we discard the cashew apples, the fruit where cashew nuts grow? It’s because it is edible and sweet yet has a vegetable taste mixed with astringency. That is how our heart is! The core of our being! King Solomon did not say to sometimes guard your heart, or maybe you can guard it. He exclaimed, “Above all”, meaning that it’s on top of our list.

Second, it’s the source of everything we do. For instance, you are leaving your house, and it’s the best weather today. As you drive along the way, a road bully suddenly tries to cut you, and you say to yourself, “This should not turn my day bad…God bless you, road bully!” (Laugh out loud.)

Third, because our heart is constantly under attack, this is the part where we shouldn’t simply let anyone access it. When you look at your cellphone and see unwelcome ads, read comments about yourself on social media, or hear uncanny remarks about yourself, you need to protect and guard your heart.

Even if we are vigilant, the enemy will use every tactic to find his way to our hearts. These attacks will come in different forms and under different circumstances.

But his defeat comes when we STOP his access to the very core of our HEART. Let Jesus hold the password of that vault that no man can ACCESS! And you have the KEY to that!

About Michaele Ybanez Cheng

Michaele Y. Cheng is a Filipino living in Malaysia since 1995. Married and a mother of three teenage kids. The journalist in her started when she was in High School, and that’s where the passion kicked off. Her passion for Media pushed her to learn more about the fast-changing mode of communication.