Have you ever heard an instrument that was really out of tune?

If not, let me save you some trouble… it’s not enjoyable. What’s worse is when the person playing the instrument doesn’t notice, and out of the kindness of your heart, you listen to their whole song (and the encore), while you want nothing more than to lose all sense of sound. “Lord, why did you give me ears?” you ask. Then you realize that’s ridiculous and instead pray, “Lord, why didn’t you give them ears?!”

Any musician knows that you can get an instrument perfectly in tune, but if, after tuning it, the instrument sits neglected or gets knocked around, it’s not going to stay in tune. Instruments require constant re-tuning. And the Puritan pastor and theologian, John Flavel says it’s the same with the heart. Flavel wrote a whole book on just this one verse and tucked in the pages of that volume he describes the heart as a musical instrument. This is why the writer of Proverbs said,

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)

Why should we guard our hearts?

Proverbs tells us the heart is so incredibly important, and its condition is so critical, that watching over it should be our top priority. The Hebrew literally reads, “More than all guarding.”

The words of this verse are a reminder that if we are going to do what must be done, to keep our hearts in tune, then we have to practice intentional neglect.

Scripture clearly calls for us to avoid evil and even the appearance of evil, but neglect is necessary in a universal way as well. We will have to be so committed to what matters, that we intentionally give our time to what aligns with our God-given calling and passions, and this will mean that sometimes we neglect good things. Sometimes we must say no to what is good, so we can give ourselves to what is better.

Sometimes we must say no to what is good, so we can give ourselves to what is better.

How do we guard our hearts?

The writer says, “above all else.” What’s the else in your life? I can’t answer that for you; only you can do that. But, neglect is part of the equation. Discovering this is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.

However, neglect is only part of the equation. Neglect is the defensive posture in caring for the heart. Effectively living out the words of Proverbs 4:23, is not merely about building walls, it’s also about going on the offensive.

The imperative of Proverbs 4:23 is translated “guard” or “keep”… “keep your heart with all vigilance.”

Guarding is a call that demands pro-activity because life starts in the heart. What charts the course of our lives is not merely the decisions we make, big or small, it’s what lies beneath those decisions.

Jesus said, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil…” (Luke 6:45)

The product of your life will never outpace the passions of your heart.

What we love matters

The foundation of every move we make is ultimately dictated by what we love. The course of our lives is not so much charted by what we do, but by what we desire.

Augustine echoed the writer of Proverbs when he said, life change flows not from the acts of the will but the loves of the heart.

The product of your life will never outpace the passions of your heart.

What you love matters. What you desire matters. This is precisely why it is so critical that you go on the offensive.

James K.A. Smith in his book, Desiring the Kingdom says, “Our love is aimed from the fulcrum of our desire—the habits that constitute our character, our core identity. And the way our love or desire gets aimed in specific directions is through practices that shape, mold, and direct our love.”

Loves are cultivated. They’re not simply something you fall into or out of; they have to be nurtured. Your affections must be stirred toward the things you want your heart to embrace. Anyone who has been married more than a week can tell you that, but this truth extends far beyond romance. It touches all of life, which is precisely why the writer of Proverbs says of the heart, “from it flow the springs of life.” This is also why the care of your heart deserves a well-developed offensive strategy.

Where do we start?

What does this strategy need to look like? It depends.

Oh, there are certainly some steps you can take. But, your strategy will not be effective unless you give yourself to consistent time in Scripture, communing with God in prayer and life in the community of faith: the Church. Those are non-negotiable. They will always feed your soul and move you Godward. But, it also depends, because every person is created with a uniqueness that causes their heart to be stirred in different ways. Some love reading theology—it makes them love Jesus more; some don’t. Some find that time in nature stirs their affections for Christ. Beholding works of art move some. It depends. In seminary, my pastor, Matt Chandler, would so often say, “Find the things that stir your affections for Christ.”

Only you can find them.

Not only do you have to know what deepens your love for God, but you also have to pay close attention to the tune of your heart.

Your heart can get off track and out of tune quickly.

The heart doesn’t just stay in tune, keeping it in tune is a task that necessitates, “all vigilance.” Go on the offensive by cultivating certain loves and giving your attention to how your heart sounds.