The Lord Knows Your Heart

“The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts”
(Prov. 17:3)

                Some people prefer the clean, simple look of silver, while others prefer the time-tested appearance of gold.  Both are precious metals, and both are quite valuable.  As of 2019, silver is valued at $17/ounce, while gold is valued at a staggering $1,500/ounce!  If you ever want to test the integrity of your silver or gold, all you need to do is put it in the fire.  By means of a “refining pot” or “the furnace,” you can heat your precious metals and if there are any impurities, they will rise to the top.

                While a refining pot and a furnace can tell you what lies at the core of your metals, they can’t tell you what lies inside the human heart.  There’s no test we can run to tell us what really rests within the heart of man – no MRI, no X-ray, nothing.  The only One who can really know what rests inside each person’s heart is God.  That’s one of the reasons Jesus commanded us, “Judge not, that you be no judged” (Matt. 7:1).  While we can examine someone’s work, only God knows what’s in a person’s heart.

                Today’s verse helps us understand why the Apostle John wrote that the eyes of Jesus were “like a flame of fire” (Rev. 1:14).  That means His eyes can see right through us as He distinguishes the good from the evil.  You can hide your true emotions, thoughts, and intentions from everyone else, but you’ll never hide them from God.  That can be disconcerting and comforting all at once.  The good news is that He knows your heart better than anyone and yet He loves you anyway.  What an amazing God!