Have you ever seen someone who looks great on the outside but isn’t very nice? Maybe they wear cool clothes and seem popular, but when they talk, mean words come out of their mouth. Jesus explained why this happens: “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts” (Mark 7:21).

It’s like when you eat too much candy or junk food and you get a stomachache—no matter how good you try to look on the outside, you still feel sick inside! Our hearts and minds work the same way. If we fill them with good things (like God’s Word), good things will come out. But if we fill them with junk (like mean TV shows or gossip), junk will come out in our words and actions.

The writer of Psalm 119 figured this out! He said that to avoid sinning on the outside, he needed to hide God’s Word in his heart (Psalm 119:11). It’s like having a secret treasure chest inside you filled with God’s truth!

Think of your heart and mind like a garden. If you plant good seeds (God’s Word), you’ll grow good fruit (kind words and loving actions). But if you let weeds grow (bad influences), your garden will be full of thorns and ugly plants.

Think About It: What are you “planting” in the garden of your heart and mind? Are you reading books, watching shows, and listening to music that help you grow into someone who looks more like Jesus? Or are you allowing things into your mind that make it harder to be kind, honest, and loving? Ask God to help you be a good gardener of your heart!