It has been said “As it is in the natural so it is in the spirit.” I believe the Bible supports that

thought. “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects thereal person.”1

The “heart” (Καρδία kardia) in scripture refers to the center and seat of spiritual life, "the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors." – Thayer’s Greek Lexicon

I have said for years that God loves us too much to leave us where we are. His desire is our continual emotional and spiritual progress. The reflections of our hearts clearly indicate the areas of needed change in all of our lives. Those reflections might be sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, deceit, hypocrisy, slander, lying, filthy language, critical spirit, and selfishness; to list a few.2

To address the negative reflections of the heart we must confront denial, minimizing, and blame shifting. We must admit the truth, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? ”3 Gradually over time “the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand…”4

Jesus taught his disciples that, “the good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”5 Jesus went on to say, “You can identify people by their actions.”6 Our thoughts, words, and actions are the fruit that bears witness to our heart. They are a true reflection of our deepest self.7

For the reflection to change, there must be an earnest desire to know the true state of the heart.8 Then we can begin the process of being cleansed9, healed, and renewed.10 For the heart to remain, clean it must be continually yielded to the inner working of the Holy Spirit and truth of God’s Word. You cannot, “… just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.”11

Is it any wonder that the writer of Proverbs instructs us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”12 There are numerous programs and services to prevent identity theft, home security systems to protect our lives and valuables, programs to protect our online reputation, virus software to guard our computers, and array of internet filters to protect us from pornography. Others have concealed carry permits for personal protection. What are WE doing to guard OUR heart?

1 Proverbs 27:19

2 Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:22-25, Romans 13:12-14, Colossians 3:8-9, 1 Peter 2:1

3 Jeremiah 17:9 NLT

4 Matthew 13:15, Acts 28:27

5 Luke 6:45

6 Matthew 7:20b NLT

7 Matt 12:33-35 NLT

8 Psalms 139:23-24

9 Proverbs 28:13, 1 John 1:9, Psalms 32:5

10 Romans 12:2

11 James 1:22-25 NLT, Luke 6:46-49; 8:21, 11:28

12 Proverbs 4:23