The Heart Is What's Important

INTRO

As Tom and I worked through the book of Proverbs, we were trying to decide whether to teach on Proverbs 20 or 21. The first verse of Proverbs 21 made our decision easy: “A king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes” (NASB). “Channels” refers to the direction of the water. Nelson’s Commentary states, “A person can look at a river and think that it is following a random pattern, but the water is following the direction of God’s hand. So is the king. This world’s apparent chaos is God’s work.”¹ God is in charge of any dictator, president, or prime minister. God can change that person’s heart in an instant and direct it in any way He chooses.

Not too long ago, I was with a group that went to one of the countries in the Balkans and actually met with the prime minister. We had already met with the speaker of the house and the foreign minister. We went in as ambassadors of the Lord to invite them to Jerusalem and to ask them to consider putting an embassy in Jerusalem. They were considering putting an economic office in Israel, which is a miracle in itself. The prime minister called someone else in and asked him where he was looking at putting that office and was told they weren’t sure yet but maybe Tel Aviv. One of the people with us graciously explained why they should put an office there, using the Word of God. In that conversation, I saw the prime minister change direction and tell them to put the office instead in Jerusalem. Right then, I went to Proverbs 21:1 because I watched God change the prime minister’s mind before my eyes. Anything is possible through God’s hand (Romans 13:1, 5).

TEACHING

Proverbs 21:1-3: Whatever a man does seems right to him, but the Lord evaluates the motives behind the actions (v. 2). Doing what is right before God is more important to Him than making sacrifices (v. 3). We could spend our entire time on verse 3. This is all about where the heart is in worship. The Lord is after the heart first:

Proverbs 15:8: “The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.”

Proverbs 16:6: “Wickedness is atoned for by loyalty and faithfulness, and one turns from evil by the fear of the Lord.”

Psalm 40:6-8: “You do not delight in sacrifice and offering; You open my ears to listen. You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering. Then I said, ‘See, I have come; it is written about me in the volume of the scroll. I delight to do Your will, my God; Your instruction lives within me.’”

Jesus explained that the Pharisees went to the temple to worship but didn’t take care of their parents (Matthew 15:3-6; Mark 7:9-13). Possibly His words reflected Micah 6:8: “Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God” (1 Samuel 15:22–23; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:9-13; 12:1; 15:3; 23:23).

Sacrifices can be hypocritical displays that do not reflect the true heart. God desires mercy—not sacrifice. The condition of our heart matters.

Proverbs 21:4–8: If the eyes, “the lamp that guides the wicked,” are haughty from the attitude of an arrogant heart, it shows sin (v. 4). Nelson’s Commentary explains that “planning typically leads to plenty, and haste to poverty” (v. 5). But profit will not last from a lying tongue (v. 6). Verses 7–8 compare the actions of the wicked and guilty to the behavior of the innocent and the righteous. This was a typical theme for Solomon—the paths of the wicked and the righteous.

Proverbs 21:9, 19: Verse 9 suggests that it is better to live outside in the elements than to share a house with a nagging wife. Someone who nags will beat you down over time and it is not the way God intended the marriage relationship to be. If God can change a king’s heart, he can change a spouse’s heart.

CLOSING

“Dear God, I pray we would be men and women of God who would learn to control our mouths. That we can edify and glorify you. Help us to be men and women of prayer. Help us to always point others to you. Amen.”