The Plague of the Heart
When I was about nine years old, my family lived in a house built in the early 1900s. In the winter, we used kerosene heaters to stay warm, and in the summer, we left the windows open to keep cool. We had small leaks around the entire house, and it seemed like every other month my mother was cleaning mildew off the walls. If mildew continues to spread in a home, it can have negative respiratory effects and even cause sickness. Even in the Old Testament, there was a principle of cleaning mildew and mold in a home. It is found in Leviticus 14:33-57, but it can be easily overlooked because older translations use the words “plague” and “leprosy” to describe the fungus on walls.
Though not as frightening, mildew and mold were similar to the actual disease of leprosy due to their nature of spreading and causing illness. Like leprosy, they also reflected the image of sin in the heart of man. During Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, he prayed that in times of struggle and suffering, the Israelites would not only turn to the Lord but also “know the plague of [their] own heart” (1 Kings 8:38). This was a prayer for deep examination and humble conviction—a prayer for hidden sin to be found out and repented of rather than allowed to spread in the heart, which is the worst kind of plague.
The author of Hebrews urged fellow believers to “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled” (Hebrews 12:15, ESV). Many sins can infect the heart, such as bitterness, pride, lust, greed, and hate. Just as Paul commanded the believers in Ephesus, “Don’t give the devil any opportunity to work” (Ephesians 4:27, GW), we must be careful not to act upon the temptations we face, allowing them to gain a foothold in our hearts. Footholds often become strongholds. We must allow the word of God to examine our lives and expose sin (Hebrews 4:12). We must walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh. Don’t allow sin to spread in your heart!
