For some of us, the idea of sharing our heart ranks right up there with public speaking or going to the dentist. I’m not talking about that fist-sized muscle beneath your sternum. The heart I’m talking about is the inner-you, the real you that drives your life. Sometimes we blame our environment, or sometimes we just accept it as natural that it’s ok not to talk about what’s in our heart, or where it’s at, or even admit that we have one. But for whatever reason, we men, especially men, have difficulty talking about our hearts. Before you stop reading, let me clarify that I’m not writing about a superficial, fabrication of feelings. Nor am I talking about men becoming more effeminate or emasculated. My thoughts have to do with a very real and very manly expression of your heart as a man.
How would a man even begin to understand how to relate his heart to others with so many ideas and emphases out there? Every time I turn around I’m hearing some educator, or author, or recent study tell me ‘Men should control their heart.’ ‘Men should be more open.’ ‘Men should be more transparent.’ ‘Men should be more wild.’ ‘Men should be more stoic.’ Certainly there are important truths that can be gleaned from these ideas.
Did you know that the bible mentions “heart” in over 750 verses? It begins in Genesis 6 with evil and ends in Revelation 18 with evil. It’s no wonder men don’t want to share their hearts with others! In our natural state it can be down right embarrassing to let others see what’s in there. Fortunately, God made a way to regenerate our cursed hearts with the pure blood of His Son. See Romans 3:23; 6:23; John 3:16; and Romans 10:9-10. And it’s in that state, as regenerate men of God that I want to encourage you.
A couple of weeks ago I was reminded of a few ideas that Jesus had about the heart. Look at what Christ told the disciples:
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45; see also Matthew 12:34
…where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
Here’s what God showed me –
I need to remember that I have a God filled heart that is to be used.
That’s a fairly simple gleaning from the passages; I have a heart. Obvious right? Not always. Stony stoicism can be the natural reaction for many men in the warzone of Christianity. Instead of engaging other men on the field of battle who need their brother’s hand, or engaging their own calling to obey God in one way or another, often men sit, frozen and emotionless through life. Maybe it’s a defense mechanism for not knowing what to do. Or maybe it’s due to fear, or something else entirely. Either way, God made me to harness the power of my heart and share it with others. In the regenerate state as his child, I have all power given from on high to live in the victory and confidence that following after his unfailing plans gives me. You do too.
I need to pay attention to what is in my heart.
In both Luke 6 and Matthew 12, the contents of the heart are revealed by what comes out of my mouth. Uh oh! Lashing out. Sharing of the gospel. Spiteful words. Encouraging a brother with scripture. Cynical sarcasm. I remember an old preacher describing the passages in Luke 6 and Matthew 12 this way: ‘your heart fills up like a cup and when it can contain no more, it overflows with whatever is inside – emptying out onto everyone and everything around.’ These passages remind me to mind what is in my heart. Yes I have a heart. But what is in it? What does my speech reveal about my desires for others, myself and my relationship with God?
Be prepared to make adjustments accordingly.
Once I know the contents of my heart, it’s time to adjust accordingly. The passage in Matthew 6 reveals that the things I value will attract my heart. My heart will follow after what I treasure and bring those things out into the open. Yet often, as the passage reveals, what I bring forth into the open through my speech can be the difference between that which is good and that which is evil. Sometimes it’s ignorant. Sometimes it’s wise. Sometimes it’s wasteful. What makes the difference? The simple fact is that what I treasure affects the scenery of my life. I must decide to change my values and therefore the scenery that I expose my heart unto. What better scenery then the Word of God and fellowship with like-minded men at your local church.
We as men should remember that our heart through Christ is now worth sharing. Because of the valuable treasure of the gospel, we should take care that the things of God are what fills our heart. By doing so, we can be sure that those good treasures will overflow onto everyone and everything around us as blessing. Whether it's our relationship with others, with God, or how we view ourselves, our hearts need to be in the right place, treasuring and overflowing with the right things.
If you have questions about what it means to share your heart, or how to have a clean heart based on what the Bible says, please drop us a line -- everymanmbt@gmail.com
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