I'm Being Engraved!

I have a favorite verse of scripture that I like so much I once set it to music, a very painstaking process for someone who isn’t really a musician. The scripture is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”


That verse repeated over and over in my head has gotten me through many a trial, but just the other day as I was reading it I opened my Bible and instead of starting to read at verse five I began at verse one and at verse three read, “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.”

Several things struck me about this verse. First, I love the juxtaposition of mercy and truth. It happens in many places in scripture not just here, but while endeavoring to Live in Truth I’ve discovered that it can’t be done without mercy. The two concepts go hand in hand. If I’m not merciful to those around me I fall in the Pit of Illusion hard and deep. Mercy is the key. The second thing that struck me was the fact that I should write truth “upon the table of my heart.” But how?

As I thought about that question I realized that writing on the table of my heart is done not by studying or thinking about truth but by living it. Every time I act in Truth and Live in Truth that Truth is written not with pen or pencil or even typed, but to write on a fleshy table it would have to be engraved. That implies to me something enduring and lasting and deep. Ink can be washed away, but engraving cannot. Thus when I Live in Truth something lasting happens to me. I change and the more I Live in Truth the more I change and grow for good. I like that! I’m going to go about my day engraving Truth on my heart!