Guard Your Heart

Guard Your Heart

Aesop’s fables tell the story of a man and his grandson that were traveling to town. The old man walked while his grandson rode their donkey. 

But some people said, “Would you look at that? The old man is suffering on his feet while that strong, young boy, who is totally capable of walking, sits on that donkey!”

So the old man, hearing this, switched places and began to ride the donkey while the boy walked. Now he heard people saying, “Would you look at that? A grown man taking advantage of that little boy. Can you believe it?”

So the man and the boy both rode the donkey. 

Then they heard people saying, “Would you look at those heavy brutes making that poor donkey suffer?”

So they both got off and walked until they heard some people say, “How pitiful, a perfectly good donkey not being used!”

In the final scene of the story, the boy and the man stagger along as they carry the donkey.

The point of the story is: If a person’s heart is to criticize ~

there is absolutely nothing you can do to please that person.

The problem lies beneath the surface ~ in the heart.

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of  an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.”

Luke 6:45 NLT

Our words reveal what is in our hearts.

“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:36-37 NLT

My point is this ~ GUARD YOUR HEART.

Step #1.  Be careful what you allow in your heart.

Step #2.  Do not allow sin to take up shop in your heart. 

Step #3.  Take the sin in your heart directly to God.

Step #4.  Memorize God’s Word in your heart.    

Step #5.  Be sensitive ~ Not Defensive ~ to the Holy Spirit’s conviction.

Guard your heart above all else,
    for it determines the course of your life.

                                             Proverbs 4:23 NLT