What would you say is your most valuable asset?

Your personality or sense of humor?
Your work ethic or intelligence?
Your family or friends?
Your retirement fund or home?

Though each of these may have it’s place, our greatest asset may not be what we think. The greatest asset I am referring to is the one from which our life’s energy flows. It is the asset from which life springs.

‘Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.’ (Proverbs 4:23)

This scripture tells us that our most valuable asset is our heart – not the physical heart organ but the essence of who we are. It is speaking of our centre; our spirit.

If our hearts are such an important source of life it is our most valuable asset. It is because of the life flow of our hearts we can enjoy life. Scripture tells us that this is so important that we need to make it our highest priority to protect our heart. God gives us certain instructions to do this in the verses following.

‘Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you. Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright. Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil.’ (Proverbs 4:24-27)

To keep our heart there are 3 areas in which to be diligent.

1) Our conversation.

We may not be able to choose everything we hear but we can choose how we converse with people and in what conversations we decide to participate. We can choose to honor instead of slander, bless instead of gossip, encourage instead of put down. The conversations in which we participate can either protect or contaminate our hearts.

2) Our focus.

We can’t always choose what we see but we can choose what we focus on. Here we are encouraged to look with purpose straight ahead of us. When we live life with purpose we will avoid the traps and potholes of temptation.

3) Our steps.

Consider each step we take. Weigh our decisions and be careful to make the best choices possible. Stay on the path and don’t get sidetracked. Each decision leads to another and then another – be aware of the path you are on. Change course, if needed, and order your steps aright.

Guarding our hearts is vital to live a blessed, fulfilled life. If we desire to have access to an unspoiled spring of life, in good and bad times, we will need to ‘keep and guard’ our heart ‘with all vigilance and above all.’

After all, our heart is our most valuable asset.

Questions: What kind of practical steps would you suggest in guarding your heart? How can this spring of life help your life?