There is an arrogance that goes along with hardness of heart, as well as being stubborn and unwilling to listen to others. Soft-hearted people are sometimes characterized as being mild-mannered and maybe even as pushovers, but those who are tender-hearted remember to make space for others, which is one way of respecting the dignity of other human beings.
A search committee from the church has been seeking a replacement for Dean Bill Ellis, who retired last June. The committee recently announced that the Rev. Heather VanDeventer has been selected as that replacement.