He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be delivered.                                                                                                         

                                                                                                               Proverbs 28:26 

Today: Read Proverbs 28

You may have heard the advice of, “Follow your heart.” Considering today’s passage, that doesn’t appear to be very good advice. Why? It is because our hearts are distorted by our sinful nature. Yes, there is good in people. You can see this demonstrated in times of tragedy such as a flood or other catastrophic events. Often you can see neighbors, many not even knowing one another, banding together to lend assistance and aid to those affected by the tragedy. But despite these examples, the human heart alone is still incapable of safely guiding us in wise and godly counsel. Consider the following:

The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.

                                                                                                               Jeremiah 17:9-10 

God describes the human heart as deceitful and desperately sick and that is the very reason for today’s passage. It is a warning not to exclusively trust in mankind, including our own thoughts and desires. We have become experts at rationalizing and justifying in our own minds the pursuit of things that we desire, but what about the things that God desires for us? This is why it is important to make decisions based on godly counsel and not on conventional wisdom. Consider the word picture given to us concerning the people who put their trust in mankind and his abilities:

Thus says the Lord, Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant.

                                                                                                            Jeremiah 17:5-6 

Let’s look at the attributes of these people. First, they trust in mankind. Whatever mankind is attempting to accomplish, that is where their trust lies. Secondly, these people make flesh their strength. Their abilities, their mindset, and their accomplishments are the focus of their security. Thirdly, and this is probably the most egregious, their hearts turn away from the Lord. I do not understand why people don’t comprehend the gravity of their situation when they turn from the Lord. They turn from the Giver of life and Savior of all who will call on His name and turn to their own devices, desires, and delights. These people are labeled as cursed.

I grew up in West Texas so I know a thing or two about tumbleweeds. During windstorms they blow in whatever direction the wind takes them. When I read about these people being like “a bush in a desert”, I can’t help but think of the tumbleweed. And that is the spiritual condition of people who turn from God and place their trust in themselves. They are spiritually blown around with the wind of the current cultural leanings. They have no foundation and no spiritual life. That would be the definition of being cursed.

Contrast those people with those who trust in the Lord:

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.

                                                                                                                 Jeremiah 17:7-8 

These people are blessed. They are in the very best spiritual condition because they have placed their trust in God. In fact, the passage says that their trust is the Lord. They are God-centered and everything in their lives flows around that reality. For Christians, this means that our lives are Christ-centered. Look at the word picture given for those who trust in the Lord. They are like a strong, healthy tree planted by streams of water. They do not fear when the world seems to be declining into extinction. Their leaves are green and lush and good for producing fruit. They are not an anxious people for their trust is in the One who holds everything together (Colossians 1:17). And most importantly, these people never cease to bear fruit for the kingdom. If you are looking for the secret to being productive for God, it is found in the reality of trusting God above all else.

So which picture best describes your life? Are you the bush in the desert or are you the healthy tree planted by streams of water? The difference has nothing to do with you rather it is determined by answering the question, “In whom do you place your trust?”