Sunday: Understanding the Human Heart

PROVERBS 4:14-16

DO NOT STEP FOOT on  the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.  Avoid it, do not travel on it and go on your way.  For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.

ACTIONS, NOT FEELINGS, SHAPE THE HEART 

Walking on a path always  takes you somewhere.  Life is likened to a path because every action takes you somewhere.  That is, the act changes you, making it easier for you to do it again.  Eventually it becomes so natural to be cruel and selfish that you cannot rest unless you are doing it. "Sow a thought, reap an action;  sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character;  sow a character, reap a destiny.'

Modern people (wrongly) think feelings determine what we do and that it is hypocritical to act loving if they don't feel loving.  Proverbs, however, tells us that our actions, and thoughts, shape our feelings.  So if you don't feel love for someone, don't let that stop you. Do the actions of love, and often the feelings will follow. When Jesus tells us to love our opponents (Matthew 5:43-48), he does not mean to work up warm feelings. He is telling us to seek our opponents' good, even at a sacrifice. So start doing the actions of love----take that path  (which is often very difficult)---and you will see your heart changing.

Think of one hard-to-love person in your life.  What practical things could you do to begin to love them better?

PRAYER:  Lord, the feelings of my heart are so unruly, but teach me how to exhort my heart rather than simply listening to it ( Psalms 42:5, 103:1-5) And help me in my resolve to also take charge of it by loving and obeying what you command.  Amen.

Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller, God's Wisdom for Navigating Life

March 24,  Page 83

**********

PROVERBS 4:18-19

THE PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.  But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness, they do not know what makes them stumble.

ACTIONS OPEN THE EYES.

The paths of love and of selfishness lead to two different end points.  But they also differ along the way.  One path brightens gradually and the other darkens.  The darkness represents increasing self-deception (and self-absorption). We say, "I'm not proud, just confident.  I'm not abrasive, just direct.  I'm not greedy just sharp in business." The more we follow the path of self, the more we live in denial until,  when life breaks down, we do not know what makes us stumble.  Self-deception is not the worst thing you can do, but it's the means by which we do the very worst things. The sin that is most distorting your life right now, is the one you can't see.

On the other hand, those growing in grace (2 Peter 3:18) take the path shining even brighter. They see more and more things about God and themselves that they were denying.  Why? The gospel so assures us of God's love that we are finally capable of admitting the worst about ourselves.  In his love, based on Christ's work, not ours, it is finally safe to do so.

Ask two or three good friends, "What is a character flaw of mine that others can see but I can't see as clearly?"

PRAYER:  Lord, there is no more important petition than this one----show me my hidden faults.  Amen.

Keller, page 84