Weighing Our Hearts – Proverbs 21:2

Inspector Kurt Wallander “struggles against a rising tide of violence in the seemingly sleepy backwaters in and around Ystad in beautiful southern Sweden.”  So says IMBd.com.  Like any good drama and especially a crime drama, Wallender is required to weigh hearts and to be open to answers that conflict with his own initial judgments.  Weighing hearts is tough stuff.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart. (Proverbs 21:2, ESV)

I went through a conflict in which I am convinced both sides thought they were the ones standing for the rescue of the institution of which they were each a part.  In the eyes of each side they were in the right.

According to our proverb it is normal for each one to believe he or she is right.  Even if what we’re doing is done with flagrant contradiction of revealed Biblical standards, we may think we’re right in our end or goal and therefore justify the means we use to achieve that end.  However, there is One who will judge based on exhaustive knowledge of our hearts, Yahweh, the Weigher of hearts.

This, then, is a call to two things:

Pursuit of a holy purpose with holy motives.  Do your best to make sure that your heart, when weighed, will be shown to be pure before Him.  The proverb is not a caution against acting on what you think is right but on examining your heart in your action.

Leave judgment to God.  Don’t seek judgment on your own.

The apostle Paul was being judged by the Corinthians, or at least some of them, in a negative way, and said this,

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.  For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.  Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. (1 Corinthians 4:1–5, ESV)