“As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.” Proverbs 27:19
Devotional Thought For The Day
The commentators make a few observations about this somewhat enigmatic proverb. The general sentiment is that we are able to see ourselves in the character of others, and that we can see and understand others by contemplating what is in our own hearts. The thought is that there is far less difference between human hearts than we might imagine – and there is some truth to this. However, the actual words “water, a face to a face, just so the heart, a man to a man,” seem to more acutely describe the fact that we see our true reflection in the inner workings of our heart. And virtually everyone has the power of self-consciousness, an awareness of what is going on inside of us – our real desires, our real motives, our real feelings, our real goals and objectives, our real judgments of circumstances, ourselves, and others, although it is certainly true that not everyone is capable of the same degree of insight, honesty, and truthfulness in evaluating the inner dynamics of our being. Those who are wise in knowing themselves, however, are better able to read and understand others. More importantly, those who are wise and honest in knowing themselves also have a more accurate starting point in their conversations with God – Who knows us far better than we can ever know ourselves.
The proverb serves as a warning against superficiality, even though the comparison is to a superficial reflection – that of a face mirrored in water. The comparison is not to mere appearance but to reflection and understanding. The point is that the heart of a person reflects the real person, not just what can be seen and observed. This is the principle warning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, particularly the piercing comments in Matthew chapter six. The same is revealed about what God sees and what is important to Him – our hearts, the core of our being, in the matter of the choosing of Israel’s first kings [see 1 Sam. 16:7]. It was not David’s behavior – which included extraordinarily noble and beautiful actions and also deeply dreadful and despicable deeds, but rather David’s heart that pleased God [Acts 13:22]. Obviously David’s heart was involved in both his laudable deeds and also his dark and damnable deeds – but the chief characteristic that pleased God was his honesty, his repentance, his sorrow over his sin, and his continuing and ongoing faith and trust in God’s gracious forgiveness and mercy – even for adultery and murder, and his failures to carry out justice to those close to him, and also his desire to grow in love for others even as God loved him.
This was the “real” David – and this is the “real” heart of every Christian; an ongoing sinful nature that avoids good and is predisposed to evil, which must be crucified through repentance and the power of Christ and His love working within us, and also the “new man created in Christ Jesus” for all manner of good works. [Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; Eph. 2:10] Understanding this, and living with it in honesty and integrity, and in repentance and faith in God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus, is “walking in the light as He is in the light” [1 John 1:6,7] – and yields the only real fellowship that we can have with one another, and also the complete cleansing away of all our sin and guilt in the blood of Jesus Christ. We should add that it is only God’s Word and His Spirit which can grant us this correct and accurate reflection of our hearts, our real selves. While our conscience provides awareness of our sin, only the gospel, the good news of God’s gracious gift of redemption and salvation in Christ Jesus can complete the process of inner honesty and integrity in our conversations with God, our relationship and fellowship with Him.
So we both pity and loathe those who turn Christianity into a pathetic charade of self-righteousness and hypocrisy – and such fall under the most scathing condemnation of the Lord Jesus Himself. We recognize the temptations of our own hearts to do the same – with the same disgust. We mourn those “congregations” which have capitulated to this shame – who weaken the condemnation of God’s law, lie about human nature, and blindly paint an inherent goodness of mankind, including themselves prominently in such a farce. We know what is truly within them because we know what is in our own hearts. The response that God desires is not such superficial hypocrisy but honesty and integrity, contriteness, humility, and sorrow over our sin, and the peace and joy that comes from resting ourselves in God’s promises of mercy and forgiveness and justification in Christ Jesus. This life of faith alone enables us to utilize our hearts to know ourselves and others, through the knowledge of God which He provides for us through His Word, the Bible. God grant us continued growth in this genuineness, truth, and sincerity.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, we understand the wretched and desperate dynamics of our fallen nature, pressed to evil and enmeshed in shame. We recognize our determined desire to heal ourselves and to make a name for ourselves, our commitment to pitiful hypocrisy. Grant us Your mercy and forgiveness even for this horrid disease of heart, that by Your grace and power we might truly find healing, through repentance and faith. Help us to be honest as we consider our hearts, especially in our conversations with You, knowing that Your love covers the full multitude of all our sin. Amen.