Avoiding an Unkept Heart
By: Emily Rose Massey
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” - Proverbs 4:23, NKJV.
When I was in high school, I was involved in countless clubs and activities outside of class. One of my favorite experiences was performing in the spring musical every year. When I became a follower of Christ as a teenager, I was elated to discover that the production chosen for our senior year was Godspell by Stephen Schwartz. This musical is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew. One of my favorite scenes in that show was the parable of the sower.
The parable of the sower is found in Luke 8:4-15, Matthew 13:1-8, and Mark 4:1-9. In this parable, Jesus explains to us that the Word of God must be sown into the heart of a person. In other words, the heart is the ground or soil.
The four types of soil Jesus discusses are:
The Wayside/Footpath
The Rock/Stony places
Thorns/Weeds
Good Ground/Soil
Obviously, the best soil for the Word of God is good ground.
What Makes the Ground Good?
Good ground for sowing is soil that has been tilled and ready to receive the seed that the farmer is spreading. The farmer makes sure the ground is cultivated and well-watered.
The worst thing the farmer could allow to happen is for the ground to become hardened, dry, or full of weeds.
In his parable, Jesus explains good ground as “those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15 NKJV).
There is a keyword in that scripture that sticks out to me: “keep.”
This word is also found in another part of that Bible that gives instruction about our heart.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us to: Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life (NKJV).
When I reflect on what the word “keep” means in this verse, I often think of the opposite word “unkempt.”
If something is unkempt, it is usually a mess and not cared for - an unkempt room, an unkempt flower patch, or unkempt nails.
So, if we are to keep our heart with all diligence, we are supposed to continually care for it, protect it, and make sure it is pure and ready to receive God’s Word at all times.
What Does It Look Like to Keep the Word in Our Hearts?
What comes out of your mouth is the first indicator of what condition your heart is in (see Matthew 12:34; Proverbs 10:11). The words you speak should build up and encourage others, honorable and wholesome, and full of compassion; they should always line up with what God speaks of in His Word and should always point others to Jesus and bring glory to Him.
Sometimes this is easier for us when everything in life is going well: all our bills are paid and we have plenty of money in the bank, we have great health, and our relationships are strong.
Regardless of our circumstances, we should always be yielding good fruit. In the storms and trials, the fruit that is reflected in our lives should be vibrant and fresh to “eat” for all we come in contact with. After all, the fruit we produce is not for us, but for others.
Are you making sure your heart is kept and cultivated for the seed of the Word to grow and bear good fruit?
Are you making sure your heart remains soft and pliable, guarding it against bitterness or unforgiveness?
Are you allowing the enemy to immediately steal the Word you just heard by yielding to him and his ways?
Are you allowing the cares of this world, the riches of this world, and the pleasures of this life to crowd your heart with nasty weeds that choke out the potential fruit?
If you can answer yes to the last two questions, chances are you are not guarding your heart with all diligence as Proverbs 4:23 exhorts us to do. Not only do you have to keep weeds from choking out the seed of God’s word, you just must care for the fruit that you do have. Again, it is so important to protect your heart from the cares of the world and bitterness and unforgiveness. If upkempt, spiritual growth in your life will be stunted. Remember, keeping and guarding your heart bearing lasting, good fruit is a lifetime process! But keep abiding in the life source, the Vine, Christ Jesus!
Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a stay-at-home momma while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.wewouldratherhavejesus.com.
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Friday, 14 October 2022.
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