Keep Thy Heart

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

-Proverbs 4:23

Proverbs 4:23 is a very clear verse for most people. But, there is more analogy to be done; the verse says to keep our hearts…so what is a human heart? We can all tell that this verse is referring to our emotions as human beings. The heart (AKA emotions) is one of Gods most wonderful gifts he has given to us. But, it is NOT to be TRUSTED;

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

-Jeremiah 17:9

So in other words, appreciate and keep your emotions, but do NOT base decisions on them (please take note that the exact wording of this verse is to “keep” your heart, not to protect it).

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example to the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

-1 Timothy 4:12

Now, we’ll jump to a different topic that involves emotions. The youth today (especially guys) are preached to all the time about physical purity; this is not a bad thing. But, when it’s shoved down your throat constantly, we tend to close our ears and our hearts when we hear it coming on again.

So look at the word “purity” from a different angle;

The Biblical definition of “purity” is: cleanliness; chastity; purity (I took these definitions from the Greek & Hebrew dictionaries).

Chastity refers to physical purity, but cleanliness refers to something different. The definition for “cleanliness” goes back to “holiness” and “purity.” So, we’re back to the base word, “purity.”

The Bible often relates the word “pure” with the topic of lust. Lust, is a desire of our HEARTS (and of course, the rest of the relation between the two words goes hand-in-hand with physical purity).

So we can conclude that we need to guard ourselves from the emotional desires of our hearts (whatever they may be). The most common, and the key thing we’re going to focus on, are the romantic desires we have towards the opposite gender.

Also, please take note that the verse above is referring specifically to YOUTH. Why? Because romantic emotions and desires are part of youth.

Most of us have probably been at a point where we thought we were “in love.” What does the Bible say about love?

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seekest not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophesies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

-1 Corinthians 13:4-10

The word charity, translates into “love,” in case you were wondering.

That is a HUGE expectation for love, isn’t it? But let’s break this passage down; this says that love will suffer for a long time. “Suffer” translates into the root word of “patience.” So, we’ll have to be patient for love to come our way (sounds about right), “vaunteth” breaks down to the word “boast” (“puffed up” kind of gave that one away), and the rest of this verse is pretty self explanatory.

I also want to point out the ending note about the part falling away when the perfect comes; this applies in so many ways to our romantic lives. Because when we find the person that God has set aside for us, the rest doesn’t hold the meaning as it used to.

So, we know a lot about love now; including the fact that we’ll have to wait. So, what do we do with all our youthfulness now? There is a verse for this also;

Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the fields; and afterwards build thine house.

-Proverbs 24:27

So, we prepare ourselves in the fields (AKA youth) then we build our house (AKA family; adult life; etc.). And it all makes perfect sense too. For example, would you try to build a house without lumber? Or try to defuse a bomb without an instruction manual? In the same way, we should not expect to take on life without instruction. The only way to gain those instructions is to read the instruction manual, the Bible, which God gave to us.