Where is Your Heart?

Although a rather short verse, this verse is indeed a challenge to us. Jesus has been teaching us about our treasure – what and where to treasure. He has told us not to treasure for ourselves, but to treasure the eternal. Things we do and say everyday that have eternal ramifications for us and for those around us. Now the final challenge along these lines is to examine our treasure!

You see, Jesus tells us that what we treasure shows us where our heart is! In other words, whatever we value and really care about will tell us about the condition of our heart. We may claim to value God and the Word and the Church, but is that really what we treasure? How can we be sure? Look to our heart! We must examine our hearts. After all of this, Jesus has taught us not only how important heart attitudes and motives are, but He has begun to show us how we can give ourselves a spiritual checkup.

How can we check our hearts? Obviously this isn’t talking about our physical beating heart – the organ that pumps blood through our body. This heart, as we all know, is the “seat of our emotions,” or the center of our being. It is “at the heart” of who we really are. And what we believe deep down in our hearts is what determines how we behave, speak, live, and respond to others. What we believe will come out for all to see!

The best example I have ever heard for this is from Dr. Larry Gilliam, my mentor. He says that if we were to go on a trip out into the woods and suddenly we hear a noise in the bushes coming toward us – and if we BELIEVE that it is a bear coming to eat us then we will run just as fast as if there actually was a bear after us. We will act on what we believe.

So in regards to what Jesus has just said, where our treasure is there is our heart, what do we really treasure? From this day forward we must be totally honest with ourselves. Jesus tells us to treasure things above, things of eternal value. We must not be consumed with the here and now. What do we really treasure? Look at our lives for a moment. Do we love the Word? Do we love attending church? Do we love ministering to others? Do we love meeting needs? Do we love speaking the truth in love to comfort or confront? Do we love praising God and praying? Do we love seeing Jesus fill us with the fruit of the Spirit? Do we love God?

Now, to answer these questions – answer this one question – “How do I live?”. That one question provides the answer we need about what we treasure! Do I live like I really treasure the things listed above? Or do I live to please self and lay up for myself treasures on earth? Do I live a life of obedience? Do I desire to be right with God and others? Is my time consumed with thoughts of God and ways to please Him and show my love for Him?

And now there is one final test. We can fool ourselves and others when it comes to outward actions. Look at the Pharisees. We are able to lie and be hypocrites! And we can get pretty good at deceiving even ourselves about our true spiritual state and the things we value. But the one test we can’t fake is the test of what comes out of our mouths! What do we say when we hit our thumb with a hammer? If we truly value God and His standards then we don’t even think the wrong things!!! Because the things that are in our hearts, Jesus tells us, will come out of our mouth in what we say!

Think about it – what do we talk about? What do we dwell on? What do we joke about? What do we tell others about themselves or our co- workers? What do we say when we are all alone and no one can hear us? Really? Read these verses and then decide what we value, “Not what goes in to the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.” (Matt. 15:11, 18) “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7) “He who loves purity of heart has grace on his lips.” (Prov. 22:11)

So, as challenging as these verses are, answer honestly, “What do the things we say, think, and do tell us about what we truly value?”. Have we laid up for ourselves treasures in heaven – is that where our heart is? Or do we need NEW hearts? Christ has given us a new heart if we have been regenerated by the Spirit abd believed on Him and repented of our sin, so if we still don’t treasure what we should then we need to confess our sin and repent of a hardened heart and from this day forward be obedient!