A Healthy Heart

Luke 6:43-45 (NIV)
43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.



It’s a new year and people at least consider things they need to do to be better people. Perhaps it’s a habit to be broken like smoking. Perhaps it’s getting better control of finances or maybe reading the Bible through in a year. Maybe it’s making an effort to be a better husband, wife, mom, dad, friend or employee.

Often the plan for the New Year involves losing weight, eating properly and getting fit. Doing these things helps build a healthy heart and a healthy heart helps build a healthy body.

As we read Scripture we see that the heart refers to the more than just the organ that pumps life-giving blood to the body. It is the inner person, the spirit of the person, the soul. If you really want to know a person, you have to understand his or her heart. You may only really have that kind of intimate knowledge of one or two or maybe three people in your lifetime. You know how they think. You know what they love. You know what will get them angry. You know why they do the things they do.

Today’s passage tells us if you listen carefully to what a person says, you will get to know their heart. (For better or worse.) The passions of their life and the fruit they produce (good or bad) come from the heart.

If we are going to make a difference in this life, we need a heart that produces good fruit.

King David in his cry of repentance sought out the Lord God who can transform a heart that produces bad fruit into a heart that produces good fruit.

Psalms 51:10-12 (NIV)

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Lasting change begins with a healthy heart.