Guard Your Heart

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:20-27 ESV).

 

You may have caught the common theme of Proverbs by now. Solomon is teaching how to have wisdom. Ecclesiastes is a companion book that you may wish to read as we continue in our study. Solomon wrote that book as well. It is very revealing in regard to his search for meaning and value in life. Our reading today simply says that wisdom is to be highly valued, sought after, and followed. Specifically in this part of the chapter Solomon admonishes us to “guard our heart” (v. 22).

 

In this chapter Solomon refers again to wisdom as a person. He uses the feminine modifier in reference to it. He says “she’s someone to be sought.” To follow her ways is to be fully in line with God’s ways. To honor God in all we do requires healthy ­familiarity with “Lady Wisdom.” It calls for knowledge as well as how best to apply it. Living effec­tively as followers of Christ requires wisdom in our everyday decision making.

 

Wisdom is not a computer chip installed in one’s conscience. It comes by way of obedience to God’s Word even when it may not make sense to friends who are not committed to honoring God. It comes by asking God for wisdom in whatever you may do (cf. James 1:5). It comes by way of asking, “What would Jesus do?” as well as, “What would Jesus have me do?” It comes through praying for the guidance of God’s Spirit. It all begins with our heart and its alignment with God. Today’s proverbs aren’t talking about the heart that pumps blood through our bodies, or the heart we might associate with romance. It is a reference to our mind and spirit. The heart we must guard is our commitment to love and serve the Lord, no matter what.

 

I like the quote in our meme today: “We cannot exchange outward success to our inner ruin. We can never find happiness if we lose the substance of who we really are.” We must learn to guard our hearts. Even if we see everyone else risking theirs, even if we feel out of place, even if it means not getting a shortcut to reaching a goal we desire, we must protect what’s within us.