I was in a video conversation with some very good friends when one of them made a comment regarding a subject we were discussing. Instead of really listening to what was being said, I made a face that prompted the person making the comment to ask what my thoughts were. I was cautious and said I wanted to be careful how I phrased my words. I was encouraged to speak what was on my heart, so in grand fashion I let my thoughts spill out all over the table.
At first, I didn’t realize what I had said. Several others in the conversation jumped in and shared their points of view. It wasn’t until one of them spoke about how “our” conversation made him feel that I realized what I had done.
“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.” Luke 6:45 NKJV
Before the video call ended, this part of the verse pierced my heart, For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
When I looked up the verse my heart sank…
I realized that I was “an evil man” who had “evil treasure” in my heart because I “brought forth evil from my heart”. The comments I made were “right in my own eyes” but I did not have the entire picture.
“Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.” Proverbs 21:2 NASB
The Hebrew word for weighs in the above verse is takan תכן and means: to regulate, measure, estimate, ponder, balance, make even, level, weigh, be equal, be weighed out, test, prove.
“All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives.” Proverbs 16:2 NASB
Tonight my heart was tested and I failed.
I want to be the “good man” who has “good treasure” in my heart and “brings forth good”. How does this happen? By allowing YHVH to test my heart to show me what is really in there. Most of the time it is in the words that come out of my mouth because I have chosen to be the judge and jury.
I am thankful for my friends who lovingly showed me what was in my heart by speaking the truth in love.
“…but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16 NASB
This conversation made me realize I have a lot of “growing up” to do in order to help the body grow by building it up with love.
Dorothy Wilson
BYNA Family Reunion Director
