Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:00 — )
PROGRAM D-8389
I have to tell you that garbage is not my favorite thing to talk about—but I’m talking about it! Why? Because there’s so much garbage around you and me that we may not even recognize and, therefore, you may be consuming it without realizing it. I’m talking about ear garbage, eye garbage, and heart garbage.
Ear garbage is what you listen to that pollutes you. Eye garbage is what you look at that pollutes you. And when we allow ear and eye garbage into our lives, that results in heart garbage—and that’s what I want to examine now.
The Bible talks about our heart throughout the Old and New Testaments—there are well over 700 references to our heart. However, these passages are not referring to our physical heart but rather to our inner person. When the Bible talks about our heart, it is talking about that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell.
It is this inner part of us which controls us, isn’t it? You and I are acting out—living out—what is dwelling in our hearts. Our desires and our emotions drive our behavior, our attitudes, and our motives. Therefore, it is critical as Christ-followers to keep our hearts clean and pure.
Proverbs 4:23 states it so well. It says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” We must guard against heart garbage—against anything that would pollute our hearts. David was aware of the importance of guarding his heart when he prayed, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). And Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). A pure heart is one that is free from garbage.
What does heart garbage look like?
It looks like malice. Malice is wishing harm or suffering on someone else. That’s heart garbage.
It looks like envy—wanting what someone else has and not being satisfied with what you have. That’s heart garbage.
It looks like bitterness—refusing to forgive and harboring anger. That’s heart garbage.
Jesus talked about heart garbage. He said, “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly” (Mark 7:21-22). That’s a pretty long and disgusting list of heart garbage, isn’t it? I don’t want it inside of me, and I’m sure you don’t either.