“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” (v.23)
Although the human heart is basically a pump that maintains the circulation of blood in the body, we still speak metaphorically of it as the place where love and deep feelings come from. The Romans, in Latin, spoke of the kardia (heart), meaning the place where thoughts and feelings of the soul and mind reside. The Amplified Bible translation of this verse is clearer when it says, “Above all guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”
How often do we hear of people today vocalizing (thorough a slip of the tong) a deep seeded feeling, or thought against someone or some unresolved issue in their life? This shows us that at some point their heart was unguarded and a seed of doubt was planted, took root, and came to the surface. Sad, because a change of heart, was all that was needed. But, how can that happen?
I recently came across an old Sunday school fable of a mouse who was in constant distress because of his fear of cats. So he prayed that God would change him into something else. God took pity on him and turned him into a cat. Immediately he became afraid of dogs. He prayed again, so God changed him into a dog. Immediately he began to fear tigers. He prayed again, and God turned him into a tiger, and he immediately began to fear hunters. Then God said to the mouse, “No matter what you become, you still have the heart of a mouse. Therefore, be a mouse again, and let Me change your heart, nothing else will help.”
The same is so true for many today, desperately trying to fix a symptom rather than the cause. We all need to allow God to change our sinful hearts, and keep them focused on the principal thing, “the path of the just”, not turning to the right or the left, but having our way (path) established by Him (vv.25-27). I’m reminded of the worship chorus, “Create in me a pure heart O God; And renew a right spirit within me.” So often, that's all it takes.
The Truth: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
Although the human heart is basically a pump that maintains the circulation of blood in the body, we still speak metaphorically of it as the place where love and deep feelings come from. The Romans, in Latin, spoke of the kardia (heart), meaning the place where thoughts and feelings of the soul and mind reside. The Amplified Bible translation of this verse is clearer when it says, “Above all guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.”
How often do we hear of people today vocalizing (thorough a slip of the tong) a deep seeded feeling, or thought against someone or some unresolved issue in their life? This shows us that at some point their heart was unguarded and a seed of doubt was planted, took root, and came to the surface. Sad, because a change of heart, was all that was needed. But, how can that happen?
I recently came across an old Sunday school fable of a mouse who was in constant distress because of his fear of cats. So he prayed that God would change him into something else. God took pity on him and turned him into a cat. Immediately he became afraid of dogs. He prayed again, so God changed him into a dog. Immediately he began to fear tigers. He prayed again, and God turned him into a tiger, and he immediately began to fear hunters. Then God said to the mouse, “No matter what you become, you still have the heart of a mouse. Therefore, be a mouse again, and let Me change your heart, nothing else will help.”
The same is so true for many today, desperately trying to fix a symptom rather than the cause. We all need to allow God to change our sinful hearts, and keep them focused on the principal thing, “the path of the just”, not turning to the right or the left, but having our way (path) established by Him (vv.25-27). I’m reminded of the worship chorus, “Create in me a pure heart O God; And renew a right spirit within me.” So often, that's all it takes.
The Truth: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)
