The Watchman's Diary

Have you ever sought advice from others, and they tell you to just do what’s in your heart; without knowing what is truly in your heart? Even when we know someone intimately, we still can never know the true depth of their heart. Only God knows us that well. I would argue that we often don’t even know what it is our heart truly wants, for one moment we desire one thing and later something different.

So how do we know what is right? Of course, every situation is different and may bring with it multiple options. Depending on the situation, doing the right thing can be costly. When faced with several options, how does one decide what is truly right?

Scripture says that “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts” (Proverbs 21:2). Immediately after this verse, the writer states, “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3).

Therefore, we are always to examine our hearts before acting. Still, how does one know that the choice is a righteous one? The answer to this question is what sets the Believer apart from the world. It also sets students of the Word apart from casual readers/listeners and those who don’t read/hear the scriptures at all. For the answer to this question is that we act in obedience to the Word of God.

Proverbs 21:3 echoes the words of the Prophet Samuel to King Saul when he acted presumptuously instead of carrying out the commands of God. Samuel told Saul, “to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

Saul was told what the Lord desired of him but chose to do something different, with the excuse that he was doing so to honor God. The outcome of those events show that God weighed his heart and found him lacking.

We too have the Word to guide us and while we are fallible and often fall short, God sees the true nature of our hearts. The prophet Micah wrote that God has shown us “what is good” and rhetorically asked, “and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

God’s word is consistent—He calls us to do righteousness, act justly, show mercy, and humble ourselves before Him. There is a way that seems right to us but is it the way of the Lord?