Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard (protect) your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”   We all have things that we protect in life and daily living, such as our homes, cars, jewelry, guns, boats, yards and many other possessions.  We often take great strides and time to protect, secure and care for them.  However, our verse today is much more important because it reflects what is eternal, lasting and important.  A wellspring reflects a fountainhead or source or supply of something inexhaustible.  Our heart is the true physical and spiritual wellspring of life and we must protect it all costs.  As I studied the anatomy and physiology of the heart in a living body in college, it was always confirmed that the heart must pump an inexhaustible supply of blood to the rest of the body for it to live.  If not, death is certain.  So, a leader must protect his heart both physically and spiritually to remain alive.  It must pump the blood of Christ through all the areas of his life.

Just as there are several ways to guard our hearts physically, there are several ways to guard our hearts spiritually against the schemes of the devil.  One is by hiding God’s Word in our hearts.  Another is by listening to the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts and brings God’s Word to light.  We guard our hearts by feeding on God’s Word and by exercising what God calls us to do in obedience, prayer, fellowship and witnessing.  We often exercise physically and eat healthy to keep our heart in shape.  But, watching what we eat or take in and spiritually exercising our heart are even more important.  Paul also tells us in Ephesians 6:16 “Take up the shield of faith.”  Things that harm the heart are often those where we place faith in man, rather than God.  This is exactly what happened with Adam and Eve who placed their faith in what the devil said and not what God had commanded.  Their lack of obedient faith resulted in the spiritual death of their hearts.  Remember that only Jesus can perform a spiritual heart transplant to provide you an eternal wellspring of life.  The spiritual life of a leader is all about the heart and the blood and there are no substitutes or alternatives.