Proverbs 27:14b – Whoever hardens his heart will fall into trouble.
When was the last time your heart was hardened? Do you remember to whom it was hardened towards? Your spouse? Someone at work? Maybe your son or daughter? What caused it? Jealousy? Offensive action or words? Regardless of the situation, we know that the hardening of our hearts is usually the result of a conflict…a conflict in which things do not go our way.
The thing is we can be SO quick to point out this fault of having a hard heart in others without thinking twice about doing the same thing. We may even justify it, right? Proverbs 27:14 warns that trouble naturally follows a heart of stone. Does that come as a surprise? Reflect again on the last time your heart was hardened. Did trouble rear its ugly head at some point?
I’m guessing it probably did.
Call to Action
The hardening of the heart can be a symptom of a much deeper issue. Proverbs 4:23 wisely states “Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.” An unguarded heart can become prime real estate for all sorts of sin to move in and set up shop.
“A tender heart is a wakeful, watchful heart. It watches against sin in the soul, sin in the family, sin in the calling, sin in spiritual duties and performances.” John Bunyan
Need to work on tender-heartedness? Here are a few things to try:
- BE WATCHFUL – when training up your little ones, a little discernment goes a long way! This means you have to be watchful enough to identify those moments when hard-heartedness is creeping in.
- BE ENGAGING –by engaging them during a time of conflict, you can help them learn to identify the underlying issue and how to navigate through it. Talk about why or what is upsetting to them. Point them in the right direction by modeling a proper response.
- BE ENCOURAGING – as your littles begin to understand that there are consequences to their actions, you can explain what “trouble” in Proverbs 24:17 might look like in their situation. Consider this a “choose your own adventure” conversation!
Tracy LaBreche