In order to get pure gold and pure silver, the craftsman has to turn up the heat so that impurities found within these metals will be burned up. At the same time the metals will become soft and weak and the craftsman can work on the metals to design and build whatever shapes he desires. This is what we see in Proverbs 17:3, “The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.”

Silver has a lower boiling point compared to gold. A fining pot over a fire will suffice to melt the silver. As for gold, a furnace would be needed as it would take a much higher temperature for the gold to melt. In both these metals, the heat must be intense and hot enough to soften the metals and burned up whatever impurities are found within. In comparison to this, wise Solomon says, “… but the Lord trieth the hearts.” Indeed God is interested in our heart. However it does not mean He chooses to overlook our actions or ignore the words we say. Let us understand that whatever we do and say, all come from our heart. And God is getting to the root, and this root is our heart.

And so, what does “the LORD trieth the hearts” really mean? The word “trieth” means to test, prove, or to examine. However in this context (in view of the process in which gold and silver are being moulded by the craftsman), it means more than just testing, proving and examining the heart. God is doing something more to our heart. He is sanctifying our heart. He is changing and transforming our heart according to His will found in His Word. He is making our heart better spiritually in order that you and I will become strong in the Lord and be more Christ-like according to His Word. And oftentimes the way that God uses to strengthen us is through afflictions, trials and temptations. We overcome all these by obeying God’s Word with the help of the Holy Spirit. It may be painful and trying, but it is all worth it because our Craftsman knows what He is doing. Just as we are able to appreciate the outcome of the gold and the silver that have gone through the burning and the moulding processes. What we see in the end is that beautiful pure gold and pure silver in a great design that is according  to the desire of the craftsman. This is the beautiful result when our hearts are tried by God.

Let us be thankful that God is willing to “try” our hearts. His desire for us is that we will become stronger in Him (and not by ourselves without Him). This is because: if we think we can be strong without Him, we deceive ourselves that we do not really need God. God does not want us to think this way and become independent of Him. He wants us to depend on Him all the time. He is willing to try our heart, but are we willing to let our hearts be tried by Him? The end result of such a heart that is tried by God will be a stronger heart that loves God and glorifies Him. May we be willing to let God try our hearts till we meet our Saviour face to face. Amen.