This verse - "guard your heart" - has been thrown at me and used by me since I was a teenager and it was usually in the context of dating and relationships. Not that any of the instruction was bad, it just wasn't complete. I've also heard many people misuse this verse in veiled self-protection to excuse themselves from moving into difficult relational situations, which is not the intent of this wise instruction. So, here's a more complete context of this passage:
Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health.
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust. (4:20 - 27)As I ponder this passage, what strikes me is that God's Word is life! Listen to it, keep it in plain view, learn it by heart. Then, keep vigilant watch over that - over God's Word in my heart, where I will experience life. Solomon follows that with what it looks like to protect the Living Word in our hearts - behaviors that reflect a vigilant watch over my heart and behaviors that don't.
This is liberating for me. It's not about protecting my own heart. It's not about avoiding wrong behaviors of banter, lies, and gossip for the sake of compliance. It's about keeping my eyes on God and letting Him ask the questions:
"Do you ponder all I have created and recognize a wisdom you lack? Do you observe life and see your God whose sovereign power shuts your mouth, whose uncompromising love opens your ears to hear Me speak? If not, you have no fear of Me. You have not even the beginnings of wisdom." (66LL)
3 comments:
I appreciate your thoughts. I also have heard others use "Guard your heart" as an excuse so I appreciate you speaking to the real context of the verse.
The verses that stood out to me in these chapters are 6:16-19. I think that anything God "hates" and "loathes with a passion" I should pay special attention to!
Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion:
eyes that are arrogant,
a tongue that lies,
hands that murder the innocent,
a heart that hatches evil plots,
feet that race down a wicked track,
a mouth that lies under oath,
a troublemaker in the family.
Speaks to my heart to stay true to God.
It's interesting how it's such a good reminder but yet I can feel something in my flesh not wanting to. This is my sinful nature. Lord, I pray that you would cleanse me and draw me close to You. To show me how not to stray and run hard towards You, only having eyes for You. Lord, hold me close. I need You. I know You are where life is- help me to know that inside and out and believe it always and trust it. To hold on to that so dearly, to hold onto You.
Guard your heart can be so self-serving, so overly spiritual...loved your "take" on it, Staci. So good.
Wow, this quote from Crabb is so good! Do you ponder all I have created and recognize a wisdom you lack? Absolutely! I'm seeing more of the evil in my heart than ever. Do you observe life and see your God whose sovereign power shuts your mouth? Absolutely, unfortunately, unwaveringly, and gratefully His Uncompromising Love is opening my ears to hear Him in midst of a little loss. My windshield just shattered in the heat from a pea-sized crack to a foot-long break that cost $300. Uh oh. Loved Pr 5:7~ don't treat my words casually. And Pr 5:15 Drink from your own rain barrel, draw water from your own spring well. Pr 5:23 Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make; he's aware of every step you take. So grateful to Him this day for what he is doing in all our lives!
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