Michael Kelley, Guest Contributor
“For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:3
“Just follow your heart.”
We hear it in movies, on social media, and in conversations all the time. It sounds inspiring– pursue your dreams, listen to your feelings, and trust your inner voice. But as attractive as that advice sounds, it’s actually terrible guidance. Why? Because our hearts can’t be trusted.
If it’s happened once, it’s happened a thousand times. We do something that seems good for someone else, only to realize later we did it to gain approval, look spiritual, or receive praise. The very motives we thought were pure were tainted with self-interest. And every time it happens, we’re reminded of an unsettling truth:
We can’t trust our own hearts.
Jeremiah recognized this when he wrote, “The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We often misjudge ourselves in both directions. Sometimes we underestimate our faith, gifts, or courage. Other times, we grossly overestimate them and fall flat. Paul gives us a better way: to see ourselves with “sober judgment” through the lens of God’s grace (Romans 12:3).
One area where we especially need this sober perspective is in how we view and use money. Scripture urges caution for at least three reasons:
- Money can be spiritually dangerous (1 Timothy 6:10–12).
- Money competes for our hearts (Matthew 6:24).
- Money reveals what we truly value (Matthew 6:19–21).
The book of Proverbs offers a wise and balanced prayer about money:
“Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread… otherwise, I may have too much and disown you… or I may become poor and steal” (Proverbs 30:7–9).
This prayer is rooted in humility. It admits we don’t know ourselves well enough to handle either extreme without drifting into sin. But God knows us perfectly. He knows what we can– and cannot– handle.
So rather than trusting our hearts, we trust His. We ask Him to shape our desires, guard our motives, and give us what will keep us close to Him. That is the path of true wisdom– and true freedom.
DIG DEEPER
Read “God or Money? Where is Your Faith?” by Bryant Wright
