The Testing of Our Hearts

This morning I am reflecting on a single verse from Proverbs 17.  I know my Honey reads a proverb a day, however, I don't spend as much time in them as I probably should.  They are packed with wisdom.  Anyway here is the verse - Proverbs 17:3 NIV: 

"The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart."

I always liked this verse, but truthfully have not spent much time reflecting on what is actually being said here.  I understand the concept, but wanted to look deeper.

The first thing I was thinking was why the two different apparatus to test silver and gold?  This got me wondering about the melting points of each metal, as that is what is being described.  The process of heating the silver and gold to melting allows impurities in each to be skimmed off, thus providing greater purity, and a more accurate assessment of the total amount of pure silver or gold.  Silver melts at 1762F/961C, and Gold at 1946F/1061C.  A standard wood fire usually burns around 600C, coal about 660C and candle's average flame temp is 1000C.  A bonfire can reach temperatures of 1100C, but must have a strong oxygen supply (think furnace or bellows).  Thus, while you could melt pure silver in a small crucible over a candle, you would need a powered furnace burning either wood or coal to get to the temperature to melt gold.  

So what does this have to do with the testing of our hearts?  Well in my opinion, the heating to skim out impurities is the picture that comes to mind.  In our lives, circumstances and situations can cause melt-downs in our lives.  Intense emotions, passion, loss and grieving, significant change, all of these are situations that can consume our minds and thoughts.  It is interesting how many fire-related terms we use to describe our lives, and I think they really do make sense.  It is one thing to be living a balanced life and to maintain a solid grasp on the day to day efforts to cope and succeed, it is a whole other thing to maintain our composure and balance in the midst of stress, trying to keep our cool, so we don't have a melt-down.  Sometimes it seems like things are piling on creating a bonfire of circumstances.  Other times it seems like the wind of massive change is inflaming everything around us!  All I can say is that in this example in proverbs the more precious metal is assigned the greater heat.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." ( Matthew 5:8 NIV).  David said the following in Psalm 24:3-4 NIV:  "Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? [4] The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." 

Putting these together, a pure heart allows us to enter into the Lord's presence, to see Him!  The Lord desires this for us, so much so that He came to earth to provide a way to righteousness, and forgiveness of our sins.  Again, David prayed the following in Psalm 51:9-11 NIV:  "Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. [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."  Jesus, through His death and resurrection, made the answer to this prayer available to us all!  

Back to the Proverb, the testing of the Heart is not to see if we are failing, but rather to allow us to become more pure in our affections.  Times of stress and strain allow us to see what is in our hearts, allows us to see what other things we are looking to in our life to sustain us.  The Lord isn't testing us to see if we are worthy, He has already made us worthy by His sacrifice, rather, He is helping us to see the areas where growth and healing are needed.  His testing is with the intent to allow us to graduate to greater favor and representation of Him.  I am reminded of parable of the Talents (or bags of Gold) in Matthew 25:14-30, where Jesus tells the story of a master entrusting his servants with money, each to his abilities.  We find the heart and attitude of the servants towards their master revealed in  parable, and for the last servant who buried the money, it wasn't a good thing.  The ones who passed the test well, moved onto greater things in the Master's household.

In summary today, I can look at my life and see how opportunities abound to reveal to me the condition of my heart.  Some of these situations test me terribly and sometimes I fail, even the easy tests.  The Lord, though, is always there encouraging me to get up and try again, for His heart is for me and He desires my advancement!  He has made the way, provided all that I need in Him, and mostly these days the question is whether I will turn to Him, or will I turn to my own efforts or other things rather than turn to Him. 

Lord, help me to become more pure of heart!  Amen!