Read Ahead: Proverbs 4:20-27
Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life. Proverbs 4:23, HCSB
The Bible says it's the heart--not the mind--where our values are kept and our decisions are made.
The world encourages us to develop our minds, the center of our intellect. Some people train their brains to do amazing things. They memorize volumes of information and grasp profound concepts.
Sadly, however, people often neglect their hearts. Some who have the highest IQs don't have good hearts to match. Some of the world's smartest people have destroyed themselves by their own bad decisions. Although they had intelligence, they never cultivated God's values. That's because intelligence comes much more easily than good character. Smart people without morals or integrity are dangerous to be around.
But if you want your life to be filled with the blessings of God, don't neglect your heart. Your problem may not be that you don't have enough knowledge. It may be that your heart is simply not inclined to do what you already know to do!
According to the Bible, the heart includes your emotions and will. It represents who you really are. Your heart is where the great battles and decisions of life are won or lost.
Guard your heart so you are always ready to do what you know is right. Be sure to spend at least as much time developing your heart as you spend developing your mind.
What's the point, then, of trying to sharpen our minds and grow our intelligence?
Read Up: Ezekiel 36:24-30, Luke 6:43-45
This devotional is courtesy of TQ.
|
|
