What Is in Your Heart?

One of the great challenges facing Christians is how to make decisions that are based on godly wisdom. I know that I remain personally challenged to avoid looking at the surface of an issue and missing the important truths hidden in the heart.

A great example of looking beyond appearances is how God guided the prophet Samuel in selecting the next king of Israel to replace Saul from the eight sons of Jesse. Like a host of candidates interviewing for the TV show The Apprentice, Samuel “auditions” three of the older brothers but strangely selects the least likely candidate, the young and diminutive shepherd boy David, over the older, stronger, tall, and handsome sons! What is going on here? God clearly explains the important spiritual principle to Samuel when he instructs, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height, for this is not the one. I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions” (1 Samuel 16:7 TLB). Hence, the great “takeaway” in making decisions is the fundamental need to consult the Lord before every choice, petitioning the Holy Spirit to grant us His wisdom to see into the spirit realm and avoid superficial reasoning. 

Jesus further reinforced the principle of avoiding “skin-deep” decisions in Mark 3 when He healed the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. The Pharisees made a hard-hearted decision to condemn Jesus because they viewed all “work” on the Sabbath, even healing and doing good, as violating God’s law. Jesus was grieved and said in Mark 3:4, “Is it all right to do kind deeds on Sabbath days? Or is this a day for doing harm? Is it a day to save lives or to destroy them?” The Pharisees were unable to grasp the higher order principle that God instituted the Sabbath day to help man rest from work and “recharge” their spiritual batteries by loving and worshiping God, not for man to rigidly and legalistically ignore the highest principle and value, that of Great Commandment love, to always do good and relieve suffering. 

A poignant illustration of this principle of godly reasoning in how we view people occurred in my own life when I met my beautiful bride, Connie. In 1982, I was a bearded, long-haired, and sockless soon-to-be PhD student who fell in love with a 100% ethnically Greek woman. In essence, my life was like the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding in which the family’s greatest desire is for the daughter to marry someone from the same heritage, looking upon all other suitors with suspicion, distrust, and with the enthusiasm of a root canal patient. However, the Lord had mercy on me as Connie’s beloved mother and the Greek Orthodox priest, Father John, looked beyond the surface and saw into my heart and what was to be, not what was, and blessed the marriage. I am forever humbly indebted to the Lord for opening their spiritual eyes and having them look beyond my many flaws to see the heart. 

Hence, when making decisions, I have found three vital elements to be helpful. First, avoid “knee-jerk” reactions to what we see. Second, take time and earnestly pray about the situation, seeking the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance to see into the spiritual heart. Finally, when the answer comes, suspend my judgment and trust the Lord. When we do these things, we avoid the minefields and walk wisely. To God be the glory! 

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Scripture is quoted from The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. The Living Bible, TLB, and the The Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.