“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” Proverbs 27:19 NLT
With the right light and water stillness, you can see your reflection in the water and know what your face looks like. It is in the stillness that we can know the truth. But just as with fun house mirrors, as the water is disturbed it can distort your image and make it unclear.
Just as gazing into the mirror-like qualities of a still water-pool reflect the detailed features of a man’s face, so the standards and qualities residing deep within a heart, reflect a man’s character and display the innermost caliber of his soul. Just as we are enabled to study the physical characteristics of our facial features through the mirror-image, reflected in a clear standing-pool of water, so an examination of the inner thoughts of the heart gives a reliable indication of our spiritual standing – or perhaps uncovers a hypocritical facade.
Too often we are quick to identify the qualities or criticize the defects we see reflected in the life of a fellow believer, but often we are not as swift to identify areas in our own hearts that need to be critically analyzed and spiritually evaluated as unholy or detrimental to our spiritual growth, offered-up to the Lord, and purged.
God alone knows a man’s heart and can read the secret thoughts in the inner depths of his soul, but it is the outworking of those concealed attributes, which are demonstrated through words, actions, and attitudes, that manifests a man’s true identity to his fellowman.
Real change comes in our lives not in the moments of emotional turmoil (good or bad) but rather in the quiet moments of reflection when we ask God to search our hearts and mend our ways.
As we start this new year’s, spend a few moments in quiet reflection and ask the Lord to do a new work in your heart.
In His Hands,
John
