In this passage of scripture Solomon gives us some godly wisdom on how we should use our body to avoid folly. In these couple of verses he names our heart, mouth, eyes, and our feet. This passage instructs believers to “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.” I have thought about this verse often and I ask myself okay, what does that mean and look like to truly guard your heart? When Solomon refers to guarding the heart, he really means the inner core of a person, the thoughts, feelings, desires, will, and choices that make that person who he/she is. The Bible tells us that our thoughts often dictate who we become (Proverbs 23:7, 27:19). The mind of a man reflects who he really is, not simply his actions or words. That is why God examines the heart of a man, not simply his outward appearance and what he appears to be. Just as there are many diseases and disorders that can affect the physical heart, there are many ailments of the spiritual heart that can impair growth and development as a believer. If we could see a picture of your spiritual heart what would it look like?The Apostle Paul instructs us, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”(Philippians 4:8). Dwelling on these things will help to build a guard fence around our hearts. So the reflective question I have for you is how protected is your heart??
