Guard your heart

Proverbs 4:23 "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."

The word heart is mentioned nearly one thousand times in the bible and more than seventy times in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 4 is a great lesson for young men of all ages. Young boys and men are curious and full of life, and how they explore this curiosity is crucial. Their exploits can lead them down the path of wisdom or folly.

However, most young men have not lived long enough to distinguish between these two paths. Sadly, there are many young men throughout our country on the path of folly, who believe this path is the best way for them. 

Every male needs a man who can relate to their curiosity and point out what awaits him at the end of each path. This is the essence of the teaching in chapter 4 of Proverbs. We get a peek into the heart of a father who wants nothing more than for his son to live the greatest life that God has for him, yet he knows that every young man has an adversary who wants to ruin his life.

The verses leading up to our verse today continue the writing style of Proverbs, which presents two approaches to life. We see references to wisdom and folly, righteousness and wickedness, poverty and wealth, healing and sickness, and light and darkness. How will a young man know the right path? He must have the words of his father (or another man), and the father must not withhold his words from his son. To do so would be catastrophic for the young man.

In this lesson, we are focusing on Solomon’s teaching regarding our hearts. How well do you know your own heart? Have you taken the time to search it? When the bible was written, the heart was viewed differently than how we see it today. The heart was more than your feelings or emotions. It consists of your mind, will, and intentions. It is the core of a person’s very being. From your heart flows all the issues of life – hate, love, anger, forgiveness, pride, and humility. From our hearts, we orient ourselves either towards or away from God.

Solomon knew what goes on in his son’s heart is essential to the man he would become. So, he charges his son to Guard his heart. In biblical times, guarding was akin to carefully watching, during the day and the night. This took place at the gates of a city wall, where guards were set over the wall to defend against enemies looking to enter the city or attempt to overtake it. Moreover, the guards would look out from the walls, hoping to see the danger before it gets close to the city.

We ought to see our hearts like these cities. Our entire being should be attentive to all threats against the peace, joy, righteousness, and wisdom in which God desires us to live. We should do this with ALL diligence. Consider your vocation, your sport, or even your favorite sports team, and guard your heart with the same energy.

We must seek to guard our hearts passionately, for out of them flow all the issues of life. From our hearts, we can trace anger, fear, doubt, lust, passion, joy, and peace. When we search our hearts, we will find the source of our pain and joy. So many men have found themselves in sin, full of regret, and disappointment, not because it was what they desired but due to not seeing the lust, greed, and pride before it got near the walls of their hearts.

Protecting the Heart

God’s word gives us the wisdom we need to protect our hearts.

1.    Fill your heart with wisdom through God’s word – Proverbs 4:7 Solomon says, ‘The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.”

This requires more than just casual reading of God’s word, we must internalize it, meditate on it, and allow it to take root in our hearts.

2.    Humble yourself – Humility before God will bring exaltation. However, pride will bring destruction. We must trust God’s timing with our hearts. Pride causes us to try and make things happen in our time. Humility waits for God to produce good in our lives at the appropriate time. Most sins in our lives occur due to our failure to wait on God. – See Proverbs 3:5

3.    Run quickly at the sight of temptation – We must not give temptation any space in our lives. When we sense it upon us, we must with all diligence flee from its presence.   – See 2 Timothy 2:22

We must protect our hearts and be mindful of what we allow into them through what we hear and see. Keeping our hearts pure from evil or any appearance of evil will result in a life that flows in joy, abundance, and peace that only God can provide.

Grace and Peace,

Myron L Head

Scripture references for this week’s Blog

Proverbs 4:23

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (ESV)

James 4:7

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (ESV)

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (ESV)

Proverbs 3:5

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (ESV)

Matthew 26:41

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (ESV)