Today we are going to deal roughly with a subject that our Lord has placed in my heart. We will begin our exposition with a short and powerful biblical quote. "2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts. " (Proverbs 21:2 KJV) Evaluating our own behavior with integrity and impartiality is no easy task. We may try to justify our opinions, our ideas, and our faults, yet God sees our heart, our motivation, and our true intention.
God is not interested in our ancestry, our fame or reputation. For Him, our social stratum or our surname is not important. Nor does he care whether we are thin or slender, tall or short, rich or poor, attractive or not. " But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. " (1 Samuel 16:7 KJV) God searches our inner being. The Lord does not care about appearances, nor about transience. This is reiterated in the book of Jeremiah. " But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause." (Jeremiah 20:12 KJV)
This book also explains the following: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:9-10 KJV) When mentioned here, the heart refers to the mind, consciousness and feelings. That is, to the essence of the person. On that we will be judged by the Lord. It is clearly defined that we will be rewarded or punished accordingly to who we are inwardly which is reflected in our conduct.
As we have seen, the Word presents us with both a warning and a promise: " And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. " (Revelation 2:23 KJV) God knows your attitude and your spirit, your interests, intentions and motivations. He will compensate you based on them. What you sow, you will reap.
The warning appears throughout Scripture. "23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. " (Proverbs 4:23 KJV) That is, from your heart, from your inner self arises your soul, the part of us that is eternal. We must be proactive and diligent in caring for our soul. This means turning away from sin and nourishing ourselves with God's Word. For this we must persevere in our search for the Lord. " Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. " (Hebrews 3:12 KJV)
" Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. " (1 Peter 3:3-4 KJV) May your only beauty not be external with extravagant garments and ornaments. The superfluous is irrelevant, pure vanity. Your true beauty must arise from within, from your heart, from your quality as a person. Cultivating our spiritual life is more than a duty, a necessity.
We must grow in humility, faith, love, forgiveness, prayer, biblical knowledge, worship. Let us thus fill our hearts so that when the Lord searches them he will delight and when he weighs them he will tip the scales towards holiness.
