This proverb instructs us to carefully watch over our hearts and to guard them vigilantly. As a heart is an important source of life for a physical body, so is our spiritual heart and mind for our spiritual growth. We can call it our ‘inner man’. Our deeds succeeds our desires and thoughts; and that’s why it is more important to control our heart. The verse beautifully explains that out of our heart comes the issues of life.
Our heart is the source of good or evil. Jesus said in Luke 6:45, “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.” Also He spoke teaching that, defilement comes from within the heart and not with the things concerning outwardly. From these teachings of Jesus, we clearly understand that the desires of our heart and the decisions we make from within can ruin our spiritual lives; and it is our responsibility to guard our heart.
To guard our heart means, to actively avoid evil and wrong influences which might deviate our path from the will of God; and also fill it with the good treasures. What are the good treasures? In Philippians 4:8, Paul emphasizes the believers to meditate on Godly things, by which the peace of God can rule our heart - “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.” What is hidden in our heart is open to God’s eyes as the Bible says, ‘the Lord does not see as man sees; for a man looks at the outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Today let our prayers be, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Amen!
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