‘As a Man Thinks, So He Is’ –

Proverbs 23:7

One of the most amazing gifts that God has given us the human mind. The ability to learn, think, choose, and reason is the essence of what makes us human. While the ability to think makes us human, it actually goes deeper. Your thoughts become a reflection of who you really are. God certainly understands this, and he speaks to this in various places all throughout his word.

One of the verses we often quote to back this is up is “as a man thinks in his heart so is he.” While this is true, I want to give you three examples of why Proverbs 23:7 (As a man thinks in his heart, so is he), can be uniquely applied.

To clarify, this proverb is not just talking about men. Women are included, too.

Truly, all our hearts—women and men—are similarly prone to sin. Let’s consider the full verse so we can get the right perspective.

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. – Proverbs 23:7(KJV)

What you see in this verse is a person who is saying one thing with their mouth—but their heart is in a completely different place. When faced with this conundrum, which one do you believe? You believe what’s in the heart. The thoughts and inclinations of the heart shape the reality of who you are. They shape your thinking which will ultimately shape your actions.

hat’s why what you think about matters, because it is forming the basis of who you will become.

However, there is something about this verse that cannot be overlooked. Who you are on the inside and what you say on the outside, don’t always line up. The Pharisees, for example, were very good at presenting themselves as very pious, devout, religious people, yet Jesus called them hypocrites.

This word hypocrite in the Greek means actor. The Pharisees were playing a role on the outside that didn’t reflect who they really were. If you need to know who a person really is, you can’t always determine that by the things they say, you have to look at the root of who they are, and that root is the heart. Everything a person is flows out of their heart.

Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit. The fruit of the tree is simply a reflection of the root it’s connected to. You will never get an orange from an apple tree root. The core of who you are is evidenced by the thoughts or roots of your heart. That’s why what is on the inside is so much more important than what is on the inside. You can mask the outside to others, and you can try to bury it to the world around you. But, ultimately, what’s in your heart will reveal who you really are.

The vast majority of Proverbs were written by King Solomon, regarded as the wisest man who ever lived. These proverbs are designed to give perspective on life, living, and good decision making.

That’s why the encouragement throughout the book is to get wisdom, which is the application of knowledge. This is the essence of all the Proverbs.

Most of them are very practical and if applied can transform your thinking which will in turn lead to better choices.

In the King James Version, for example, Proverbs 23:7 says, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Here is this verse in other translations.

NKJV – For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.

AMP – For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior—one who manipulates]. He says to you, “Eat and drink,” Yet his heart is not with you [but it is begrudging the cost].

ERV – They might tell you to eat and drink all you want, but they don’t really mean it. They are the kind of people who are only thinking about the cost.

EXB – Selfish people are always worrying about how much the food costs [They calculate in their minds; or They are like a hair in the throat]. They tell you, “Eat and drink,” but ·they don’t really mean it [their heart is not with you].

GNT – Come on and have some more,” he says, but he doesn’t mean it. What he thinks is what he really is.

MSG – Don’t accept a meal from a tightwad; don’t expect anything special. He’ll be as stingy with you as he is with himself; he’ll say, “Eat! Drink!” but won’t mean a word of it.

The root or core meaning of this verse is one of hypocrisy. You say one thing but you really don’t mean it. It’s like the unethical salesperson who will tell you how wonderful you look in that outfit only to make the sale. The bottom line is: God hates hypocrisy.

This theme is evident in other places throughout the Bible as well. I want to share with you from scripture, three examples of why Proverbs 23:7 (as a man thinks in his heart, so is he), is what God uses to determine a person’s authenticity.