The Measure of the Heart: Pleasures That Reveal True Desires

The Measure of the Heart: Pleasures Never Lie

Have you ever thought about what truly matters to your heart? What brings you joy and satisfaction? The things that give us pleasure can reveal a lot about our deepest desires and treasures. In fact, pleasures never lie. They are like the whistle-blowers of the heart, revealing what we truly love and value.

In the Bible, the concept of pleasure is often used to gauge the condition of our hearts. In one of my favorite poems, it says, "The soul is measured by its flights, some low and others high. The heart is known by its delights, and pleasures never lie." These words have stuck with me for years because they cut through the layers of deception and get to the core of the matter.

When something evil gives us pleasure, it is not a problem with pleasure itself. Pleasure is simply revealing what our heart loves. If we find pleasure in sinful activities, it is a sign that our treasure is misplaced. Our hearts are designed to find pleasure in the things that align with God's will and bring glory to Him. When our pleasures are misaligned with God's desires, it is a clear indication that there is a treasure problem in our hearts.

But how can we discern whether someone's professed faith is genuine or false? Jesus gives us a clear answer in Matthew 7:15-20. He warns us to beware of false prophets who come disguised as sheep but are actually ravenous wolves. How can we recognize them? By their fruits. Just as grapes are not gathered from thornbushes and figs are not gathered from thistles, true believers bear good fruit while false believers bear bad fruit.

What does this mean for us? It means that our actions and words reveal the condition of our hearts. Just as a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit and a diseased tree cannot bear good fruit, our lives will reflect what we truly believe and love. Pleasures never lie, and neither do our actions. They are like the fruit of a tree, showing the quality and nature of the tree itself.

But here's the challenging part - it takes time for fruit to grow and mature. Just as it can be difficult to distinguish between wheat and weeds in the early stages of growth, it can be challenging to discern between genuine believers and false ones. In fact, even those who initially appear to be true believers can later reveal their true nature, just as Judas did among the disciples.

That's why Jesus tells us to be patient and wait for the fruit to mature. We are not called to make hasty judgments about others but to observe their lives over time. It is in the context of a church community that we can assess the fruit quality of a person. This assessment should be done with the guidance of mature, discerning elders who can help us avoid the pitfalls of our own biases and judgments.

But what about when good trees bear bad fruit? We all stumble and fall at times, even as believers. Just as Aaron made the mistake of idolatry with the golden calf, David succumbed to temptation with Bathsheba, and Peter denied Jesus, we too can act sinfully and bear bad fruit. But the key is repentance and a desire to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8).

When confronted with our faults, true believers will listen and repent. They will not normalize sin but will strive to live in accordance with God's Word. And even when we do fall into sin, it is the consistency of our fruit over time that reveals the nature of our hearts. If our lives are marked by a pattern of righteousness and a desire to please God, then the occasional bad fruit can be seen as an anomaly.

Church discipline plays a crucial role in this process. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus outlines a process for confronting sin within the church. If a brother or sister listens and repents, they are to be considered a true believer. But if they refuse to listen, even after repeated confrontations, they are to be regarded as unbelievers. This discipline is not meant to determine the nature of the tree but to assess the fruit quality and protect the purity of the church.

In assessing our own fruit quality, we should not do it in isolation. We need the input and observations of fellow believers who know us well. Our own self-assessment can be distorted by pride, either exalting ourselves or condemning ourselves unjustly. The input of others helps us stay aware of sin's deceitfulness and allows us to grow in humility and repentance.

Ultimately, it is the consistent, controlling pleasures of our hearts that reveal what we truly treasure. Pleasures never lie, and they always find a way to manifest in our words and deeds. Jesus himself said, "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples" (John 15:8). Our lives should be marked by the fruit of the Spirit, demonstrating our love for God and others.

So, let us examine our hearts and the pleasures that drive us. Are our pleasures aligned with God's desires? Do they reflect a heart that treasures Him above all else? Let us also be discerning in our assessment of others, remembering that fruit takes time to grow and mature. And may we all strive to bear good fruit that brings glory to God and reveals the true nature of our hearts.