Guard Your Heart

My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully (closely) to my words. Do not lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing (health) to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course (wellspring) of your life. Avoid all perverse talk (lies or dishonesty); stay away from corrupt speech (gossip, white lies, and banter). Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Do not get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:20-27 (NLT).

 

The book of Proverbs is listed among the wisdom books of the Holy Bible. Proverbs is not preoccupied with rules of “Don’t do this, don’t do that.” Rather, the advice or counsel of Proverbs tries to help the reader develop a love for the best things in life. This love for the best focuses the reader on getting wisdom above all else. The love of wisdom makes a person wiser and leads to a happier life (Proverbs 6:20-23; Proverbs 9:5-6, 10-12). Wisdom’s call is directed to the heart (Proverbs 4:23; Proverbs 8). To love God from your whole heart for His sake is the core of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 3:9-12). Our hearts must diligently love, trust, and obey God to find wisdom, hope, and life (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 9:10; see also Lamentations 3:25).  Loving and obeying God is the big end of all of life (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)! 

 

If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success. Proverbs 3:4-6 (The Living Bible)

 

Wisdom is the most important thing; so get wisdom. If it costs everything you have, get understanding. Treasure wisdom, and it will make you great; hold on to it, and it will bring you honor. It will be like flowers in your hair and like a beautiful crown on your head. Proverbs 4:7-9 (NCV)

 

The book of Proverbs speaks to the human heart. The word “heart” occurs ninety-four times in the book of Proverbs. Now, the heart is the source or center of human life (Proverbs 4:23) and a religious organ. The Hebrew words for heart are “leb” and “lebab”. Both words are hard to translate because they rarely refer to the physical human heart. Rather, the heart means the center of a person’s being, mind, emotions, will, and behavior. As the center of physical life, the heart came to stand for the whole person or the entire internal life of a person. In Proverbs, the uses of the word heart breaks down into the following percentages: center of emotions (21%); trust, which also involves morality (19%); intellect, mind, reason, or motive (40%); behavior or actions (3%), and will, choice, or volition (14%). Thus, the word “heart” as found in the Bible means behavior 3% of the time; will or choice 14% of the time; emotions 21%; and trust 19% of the time. Most or 40% of the time, the word heart means intellect, mind, or reason.  

 

The heart and the intellect are closely connected as the heart is the place of intelligence and thinking. Because the heart is connected to thinking, as a person “thinks in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7 NKJV). If we store up good things in our hearts and continue seeking God, our words and actions will be good. “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34; Mark 7:21; see also Proverbs 27:19).

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I (God) give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NLT)

Our hearts are naturally sinful, scheming, and wicked. As time goes on, the sinful heart becomes more arrogant, insensitive, dishonest, hypocritical, and stubborn. Even worse, sinful hearts really only loves themselves. Ultimately, this sinful heart leads to a destructive way of life and eternal death (Proverbs 1:15-33; Proverbs 5:7-14).  Because the heart is naturally sinful, only God can heal and cleanse the sinful human heart. As we trust God and open our whole hearts to Him, then and only then will we walk a path way of life, find heart cleansing, and wisdom. Ultimately, all good wisdom comes from God. God’s wisdom is found in His Son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24; Colossians 2:3) and His Holy Bible (Deuteronomy 4:3-8).  If we want God’s wisdom, we can ask Him for wisdom through prayer. James 1:5 promises us that God will grant our sincere request. Seeking God's wisdom is the most important choice we can make.

Listen, people . . . ! The Lord our God is the only Lord. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Always remember these commands I give you today. Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (NCV) 

So in summation, we are to love and obey God with our whole hearts which means our minds, intellect, emotions, will, behavior, and choices. The Old Testament gives many rules and regulations. However, these rules and regulations were meant to penetrate into a person’s heart (Deuteronomy 26:16). Unless God’s rules and regulations become part of a person’s heart, life will probably make no difference. As we turn our whole hearts to God, God will write His rules and regulations on our hearts (see Ezekiel 11:19-20; Luke 8:15; Romans 2:15; Romans 10:9-13; Hebrews 3:12).

What made King David a “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22)?  The Holy Bible reveals that throughout his life, David demonstrated that he loved and trusted God with his whole heart, as the law in Deuteronomy 6:4-6 demanded. David had an undivided and committed heart for God that loved God completely (Psalm 86:11; see also Jeremiah 17:9-10).  

The book of Proverbs reveals our daily actions or behavior is motivated by love. In other words, the choices we make flows from what or who we love the most (see Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 4:6; Proverbs 8:36). The only way to find wisdom is to love God and obey Him (Deuteronomy 4:3-8; Matthew 22:4-40; John 15:1-17). Wisdom is a matter of loving God and living a righteous life before Him. Apart from a loving and obedient relationship with God there is no wisdom and no life. As we love God and obey God’s Holy Word with our whole heart, we find wisdom!

As the water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person. Proverbs 27:19 (HCSB)

References:
Life Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.
NLT Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.
New Student Bible. New York, NY: Zondervan, 1992.
Zondervan NIV Study Bible. New York: Zondervan, 2008.
Schwab, George. The Book of Proverbs: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2009.