Today’s lesson is another piece of wisdom from Solomon, who said in Proverbs 4: 23-27…
Above all else, GUARD YOUR HEART for it is the wellspring of your life. Put away perversity from your mouth, keep corrupt talk from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, FIX YOUR GAZE directly before you. Make LEVEL PATHS for your feet and take only ways that are fir. DO NOT SWERVE to the right or the left, KEEP YOUR FOOT from evil.
I added the emphasis in order to draw your attention to King Solomon’s commands — these words of wisdom are powerful instructions if we only listen. Solomon begins by telling us to guard our hearts from perversity and corruption (which I think most people will agree is common sense). But for me the real pearls are what follows – look straight ahead, fix your gaze, take level paths, do not swerve, keep our foot from evil – these are the secret to living the righteous life, the one that will put us on the path to freedom. It’s so simple — if we just DO IT.
Most of all I love the phrase “take only ways that are firm” – this applies to so much in life: from making wise investments, to prudent prepping against natural disasters, to finding the right job and friends in life so we don’t go off track. This wisdom has so much to offer it’s worth its wait in gold!