Wise. Heart.

There is much to learn about these words. 9 mins read but so worth the time!

Hi Friends..
Admitted.. This is a devotional I’ve been meaning to write for a year.. how has time passed, and I’ve not written it yet?
So, to not dwell on the past, I am going to jump right in. 😉

Yesterday I started a new ‘Bible in the Year’ plan through my new ESV bible. At the back of the bible there is a 1 pager with the plan.
Maybe you could use one so here it is.

To start, I decided to go back to March 1 and as you can see in the image above, led me to Mark 7.
While reading Mark 7 I felt the nudge again to do a deeper study on a ‘Wise Heart’ & write what I find.

Last year, similar timing, 2024, I was in the book of Exodus and was introduced to the scriptures that discuss a - Wise. Heart.

Since these verses have been presented to me again, I can’t deny there must be a bigger reason for this topic. Always to deepen my understanding and if possible, share to whomever might also need the encouragement.

Let’s look at Mark 7

¹⁴ When He (Jesus) had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: ¹⁵ There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. ¹⁶ If^[f] anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”

¹⁷ When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. ¹⁸ So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,
¹⁹ because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, ^[g]thus purifying all foods?”
²⁰ And He (Jesus) said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.
²¹ For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²² thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
²³ All these evil things come FROM WITHIN and defile a man.”

QUESTIONS- there are always questions.

With this said, how do we ensure that what is IN our heart is pure and void (if possible) of the horrible things above that Jesus just said were IN our hearts?
Have you ever heard of having a ‘wise heart’?
I know we’ve all heard of being a ‘wise guy’- but what about ‘wise hearted’?
Are you like me and would like to be wise hearted?
When is the last time you asked God for a wise heart?
Do we even REALLY understand what this means?

Is it safe to say that IF we were wise hearted that are hearts would be pure or purer?
What if being wise hearted helped fill in the spaces of our hearts so that there is less room for the malicious things listed above in Mark that DO reside in our hearts? That maybe those things could be PUSHED out and more of what God has for us enlarged!

Let’s look at some examples of ‘wise heart’ as it appears in scripture.

In Exodus it appears I believe for the 1st time.
Moses was directing the children of Israel in making the Tabernacle of God, as God commanded him.

Exodus 31: 6

^{6 …} and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

I can recall reading this for the 1st time. In 2023 I read my NIV translation and don't recall being overly interested in these verses. But in 2024, I read the KJV and these STOOD off the page! Last year I felt to write about, but alas, it took me a year to get to it. Why? 🙄

In my KJV bible I wrote a prayer, “God help me use the wisdom you have placed in my heart!”
This is still my prayer today and thankfully, God knows my heart and He knows my weaknesses … and is patient with me.
However, this is much deeper in context than initially thought. And if you read other translations, for instant the NIV, it reads like this:

⁶ … Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you:

I definitely don’t want to criticize other bible translations, but I feel that this version just doesn’t have the same impact as the KJV. Especially after you read the following information BELOW on the numerical values of the Hebrew of the original text in KJV.
I found that while studying I like to flip back and forth between KJV/ESV and sometimes refer back to the NIV for a fuller understanding.
I believe after you read the below article on a wise heart, you will agree that those words in particular are really profound. We should all be praying specifically for our hearts to be WISE in God’s wisdom- assuming you readers want what God wants in your life -similar to me.

Fun little detail, my mom and I share nuggets from what we are reading and praying, and after sharing my heart about these verses she found an incredible article title:
Word Study: Wise Heart - (full article is on this link)
The authors describe the words WISE HEART as you can see below..

WORD STUDY – WISE HEART
Exodus 35:10: “And all the wise hearted among you shall come and make all that the Lord hath commanded.”
Wise – Hebrew: Hacam – teachable, skillful, knowing.
Heart – Levav – Heart in the physical sense, life, reasoning, understanding, will, judgment, design, affection, love, hatred, courage, fear, joy, sorrow.
Wise Hearted: Hebrew idiom for knowing God’s heart.

Who are the wise hearted?
Looking up the word wise and heart in the back of your Strong Concordance or your lexicon will reveal that wisdom means one who is teachable, skillful and knowing. Only those with a teachable, skillful and knowing heart would be allowed to work on the tabernacle.
That makes sense, you sure don’t want people with their own idea of how the tabernacle should look building the thing, it needs to be done according to God’s own specifications.
The word heart has a broad range of meaning but can be summarized as your deep-seated passions.

…but then the authors take this one step deeper in the study and show the numerical values of the words!
WOW!
I can’t take credit for these details, but I can say that these verses stood out to me, and I am seeking God and asking Him to produce more of a wise heart in me!
Check this out:

The word “wisdom” is spelled “Chet – 8, Kap – 20, Mem – 40. It has a numerical value of 68. The Hebrew word for “a united heart” also has a numerical value of 68. The “Chet and Kap represent a joining of your heart with God. The final “Mem” represents the hidden knowledge of God. Wisdom is the joining of your heart in unity with God to discern his hidden knowledge.
That would explain why God only wanted the “wise hearted” or those who knew His heart, to build His tabernacle, only those who could discern His hidden knowledge. The Hebrew word “heart” is “Lamed – 30, Beth – 2 with a total numerical value of 32. The Hebrew words for “clean,” “pure” and “light” also have a numerical value of 32. The lamed beth represents reaching up to heaven for divine knowledge as your place of beginning.
So, what is a “wise heart?”
A wise hearted person is someone who has a pure heart that is in unity with God so as to discern the hidden knowledge of God. Only such a person can know the heart of God.

Further reading in EX 35 and 36 are more of these verses about a WISE HEART and then some are coupled with a WILLING HEART… check it out and see that you aren’t inspired too!

35: ⁵ Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass,

¹⁰ And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the Lord hath commanded;

²¹ And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.

²² And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted,

²⁵ And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands,

²⁶ And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun

²⁹ The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

³¹ And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;

³⁵ Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work,

36:1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the Lord had commanded.

² And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:

⁴ And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made;

⁸ And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle

I love how the ‘wise hearted’ and ‘willing hearts’ are woven together.. each person, men and women, are both gifted by God to produce, and bring projects together based on the knowledge, skill and wisdom GOD presents us and PLANTS in our hearts, if we are WILLING!!

It’s safe to say…

The term "wise of heart" is a biblical expression that denotes individuals who possess not only intellectual understanding from God alone, but also practical wisdom and moral insight again, from God alone.
This concept is deeply rooted in the Hebrew Bible and is often associated with a life lived in accordance with God's will and commandments.

Just think if we dive into this concept for ourselves, and seek our Father who gives generously, He will lead us to do mighty and wonderful things that we were MADE to do, all for HIS GLORY!

After reading this do YOU want to be WISE and WILLING Hearted?
Join me in asking Him, daily, to unfold this in our lives, how much of the filth that Jesus said IS in our hearts (back where this started above with Mark) will be pushed out, purifying our hearts and allowing us to do His Will, for the time is SHORT before we meet Him face to face!

Live Radiantly... today and thanks for joining me on this Word adventure!

Love sharing with you and I pray it is impactful for you today!

M