... problem of the human heart." -J. John.
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For the man who is widely acclaimed to be the wisest ever (save Jesus), certainly in Biblical tradition, King Solomon certainly proved the above saying correct. The Bible tells us that though he sought wisdom initially, Solomon turned from God towards the idols that his 700 wives and 300 concubines had brought before him (1 Kings 11:3-4) and so God became angry with Solomon as his heart had turned away (11:9).
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How is that someone who started out so well, having been gifted a wish from God in a dream -- and having chosen to ask for "a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong," which revealed a true fear of the LORD -- would turn aside to the superficial and transitory? (See 1 Kings 3:1-15 for the full story.)
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The trappings of life on earth, that's what. Imagine having 1,000 woman... mmm, blessing or curse? Sure would make life terribly complicated. Solomon, it's said, had more riches than anyone had ever had before. This too made his life more complicated and gave him over to more temptation.
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One of the more literal translations of Proverbs 4:23[1] goes like this:
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"More than all else you guard, watch your heart,
for out of it, the surges of life."
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Moreover, "from it (the heart) [are] the goings of life."[2] It's our life source. Whatever is present in our speech and behaviour, and in the representation of our body language, and use of our eyes, ears, mouths, lips etc, all stems from our hearts. The general message of Proverbs 4 is to "get wisdom" and to seek it with all one's heart -- to protect and preserve one's life. We're to have 'tunnel' vision in this way, not swerving to the right or left on our way.
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I am Christian like so many others. And yet I know my heart, without God -- it is rotten through. Paul said in Romans 7:15-16 he cannot help at times do the wrong things whilst striving earnestly to do what is right. We all identify I hope. We are not saved from sinning but are made right in our dependence on God -- to gain practical wisdom and discernment, and without doubt, life, we cling to the Saviour Jesus -- the author and perfector or our faith. It is with him and only with him that we can think and act with pure hearts.
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People who are captive to sin (and cannot surrender to God) betray their own hearts and defeat themselves. And this is an absolute fact for all of us. Salvation is a continual process. We must always continue to grow in our journey with God, by daily surrendering our heart to him, or we delude ourselves. Fortunately, surrender is a process learned and mastered better the more we do it.
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Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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ENDNOTES:
[1] Roland E. Murphy, Proverbs - Word Biblical Commentary (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998), p. 26.
[2] Ibid, p. 28.
[3] Ibid, p. 28.
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