Asset or Liability
For as he thinketh in his heart. so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee (Proverbs 23:7)
As I think about the message springing from this passage there are a number of thoughts that come to mind but there are two that stand out to me, the first of which is that the attitude of our heart, our frame of mind, is either our greatest asset or our greatest liability. Now, when you really think about this, our attitude has the power to control our life because it is our frame of mind that governs our actions or reactions to whatever is taking place in our life.
Actually, our attitude, frame of mind, is the key that determines how we conduct ourselves in the present time as well as being a huge factor in determining our eternal destiny. How we think, what we think has a tremendous bearing on our happiness, contentment and peacefulness on our daily walk each day. Success or failure often hinges on our frame of mind. In light of this passage from Proverbs 23:7, it just seems to me that all this is summed up in a statement I came across not long ago, "What a man thinks is really what he is." Just one man's opinion.
The second compelling message has to do with the truth that our attitude (frame of mind) springs from our heart. The things we say. the things we do, the choices we make are actually the result of what we have stored away in our heart. In our hearts, our minds, are found thoughts, intents, purposes all of which are the emotions that control our actions and reactions (Hebrews 4:12).
What comes out of our heart depends on what we put into it. Hence the great need to heed the advice of Solomon found in Prov.4:23, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life". Luke 6:45 is a powerful, thought-provoking passage worthy of consideration, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."
Always remember that whatever springs forth from our heart under any given circumstance will be based on what we have put into it to start with. I can think of no better way to close this week's Thought than with the message found in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
Charles Hicks
