NEGATIVE HEART TRAITS (2)

“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits” – Proverbs 16:2                        

We need to continually bring our hearts under Divine X-ray to avoid NEGATIVE HEART TRAITS: “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits” (Pro.16:1-2). God weighs spirits, searches hearts and tests minds: “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer.17:10). Other negative heart traits besides the deceitful, perverse, corrupt, or lustful, are: the proud or haughty heart, hardened heart, and evil heart. Here are insights into each:

The proud or haughty heart: “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; though they join forces, none will go unpunished” (Pro.16:5). The law of pride and destruction is more certain than gravity: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (v.18). He who exalts himself is likely going down; but the humble at heart will be raised up: “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility” (Pro.15:33). Only God has the right to exalt Himself, yet, in Christ He humbled Himself: “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name” (Phil.2:8-9).

Destruction or honour is a choice. Pride and arrogance guarantee destruction, while humility brings honour: “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility” (Pro.18:12). God hates pride: “These six things the LORD hates…a proud look…” (Pro.6:16-17a). God resists the proud (Jam.4:6; 1Pet.5:5). God scorns the scornful: “Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (Pro.3:34). God fights against the haughty: “A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin” (Pro.21:4). We know from the Bible, what God did to proud Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, and Haman. For example, Pharaoh’s famous last words were: “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go” (Exo.5:2). God destroyed his nation, assets, firstborn, chariots, and then him! Pride was the sin of the devil (1Tim.3:6).

The hardened heart: “Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity” (Pro.28:14). The New International Version says: “Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.” The Message Bible says, “A tenderhearted person lives a blessed life; a hardhearted person lives a hard life”! Here, the reverent heart is compared to the hardened heart: The former has reverence for and respectful fear of the Lord; while the hardened, colloused heart is stubborn, dives right into sin, cares not who or what their sinful choices will affect, and insists on doing things their own way. One leads to the blessed life; the other, which cares only about satisfying self, leads to calamity, trouble, and a hard life!

The evil or wicked heart: “Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross” (Pro.26:23). This verse highlights two terrible sins: Burning lips that say malicious things about others; and a wicked heart that thinks such things! Such a heart is like a broken piece of pottery covered with the scum from silver refining; an ugly and worthless person! An evil person, with a hateful heart, arrogant contempt, and critical and cruel speech, is like a broken fragment of pottery painted over with scum. A good person, with a noble heart and kind words, is like a beautiful work of pottery covered with fine silver, a delightful and valuable object.

Pride, haughtiness, hardness of heart, and evil or wickedness must have no place in the True Believer in Christ!