'Above All Else'...Means It's Important!

Here we are in the month of February - completely adorned with red, pink, and hearts in every size and style.

The heart has become the standard icon marking the love that is shared on Valentine's Day. Ironically, the word 'heart' is what we use to describe the essence of a person. There are some whose heart is pristine and beautiful, like that of a Valentine's Day heart, overflowing with grace and love. But, there are others whose hearts have suffered so much damage, that you may not even recognize it as a heart. Regardless of where you think the condition of your heart is on that spectrum, from pristine to unrecognizable, God is in the restoration business. And He restores to better than before!

Restoration to better than before - that's great news for us. But as with all things with God, we have a part to play. Our part is described in Proverbs 4. Let's first look at vs. 20-22 - "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body."

The writer (likely King Solomon) tells us what he's about to say is important. In fact, it's not only important, it is life and health to your whole body. Not just your attitude, your whole body!

What is this instruction that preserves us so well? We find it in verse 23:

 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." [emphasis mine]

Do you see that? Guard Your Heart! Don't just guard it, above ALL else, guard it. Seems to me that he is saying if you want life and health to your whole body, this is the most important thing to do - guard your heart. And immediately following, he confirms to us again why - it is the wellspring of life. Not a wellspring, but the wellspring.

American Heritage defines a well as 'a source to be drawn upon; to surge from some inner source.' Your heart is your inner source - all of your life will draw upon this source. Prov. 4:23 tells us that above all else, we need to guard our inner source.

Many times when we hear the word well, we think of a water supply, most likely a water supply that we drink from. What happens if that well becomes contaminated? If we consume it in our bodies, it will most likely make us sick physically. It will impact our whole being.

Verse 23 tells us that our heart is like this well - it is our life supply. If it becomes contaminated, our whole being is affected.

So how does our heart become contaminated? Daily life offers many opportunities for contamination. It comes in the form of unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, worry, jealousy, offense, pride, and gossip to name a few. If any of these take root in our heart, it impacts our whole being.

The difference between water contamination and heart contamination is that we have the ability to rid our hearts of contamination. None of those contaminants can get into our heart without our permission. And we are the only ones that can escort them out. It is all about choice. Is it easy? In most cases, NO! But the Holy Spirit will give you the strength to overcome. As you do, your well spring, your inner source, will gradually move up the spectrum to resemble that pristine Valentine's Day heart.

We must be diligent in casting off those thoughts that keep the contaminants present. Refuse to think on things that lead to any of the heart contaminants. Remember the choice you made to guard your heart and do not let bitterness, resentment, offense, etc. dwell within. Don't let your thought life drift to memories that stir up bitterness, resentment, etc. Controlling your thought life is the primary mechanism to guarding your heart. Think about what you think about!

Friends, don't wait another day. Ask God to help you - He is faithful to help you heal, channel your thoughts, and guard your heart!

On Guard,

Dawn