Apply Your Heart – Proverbs 23

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” – Proverbs 23:12 (BSB)

Where is your heart? Your mind? Your attention? What are you listening to?

These things matter. They determine who you are and who you are becoming. The old computer programmer’s axiom, “Garbage in – garbage out” applies here.

We consume a ridiculous amount of content, news, and information every day thanks to the electronic devices that are practically glued to our hands. At some point we need to ask ourselves how this is affecting us. It can’t be good.

Thankfully, you are already taking steps in the right direction. You are committed to absorbing the practical wisdom of the book of Proverbs. A big pat on the back to you!

To return to the computing world, please consider this quote from the writings of Charles Babbage, one of the inventors of modern computers.

“On two occasions I have been asked, “Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?” … I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question.” — Charles Babbage, Passages from the Life of a Philosopher

“Confusion of ideas” indeed! Bad data = bad results. When we start with good data, we can’t help but get good results.

So where should we apply our hearts? Here is some wisdom from the apostle Paul.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17

“Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.” – Proverbs 23:12