LIVING WISELY
My son, pay attention to what I say; listen
closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within
your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to a
man’s whole body. Above all else guard your heart, for it is the well
spring of life. Put away perversity from your mouths; keep corrupt talk
far 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 firm. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; keep your foot from evil. -Proverbs 4:20-27 New International Version
In these wisdom sayings, we are instructed to live wisely by giving careful attention to God’s Word and God’s Wisdom. We can do this by listening very well, as in bending our ears, to God’s teachings, keeping them in mind and not forgetting them. God’s Word are the key to life to those who find them.
This also implies careful study of God’s Word. If we apply God’s teachings, we reap the amazing benefits of life and health to our bodies. God’s teaching and instruction will guide us to live in the right way and refrain from, conduct , which may cause unhealthy stress, strain, or illness in body and mind. Jesus said, “The words I speak to you are spirit and life.”
We are also reminded to guard our hearts. The heart refers to the mind and affection. We should guard our hearts for they are the well spring of life. We need to be careful what goes into our hearts (minds) for out “out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts ( Mark 7:21-23). Our thoughts run our lives.
Then we are instructed to deal with our mouths. We should put away deceitful talks, perversity of speech and lies. We should be careful what comes out of our mouths and lips. “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)
For the use of our eyes, this wisdom saying teaches us to fix our eyes straight ahead with singleness of purpose, looking steadily at what is good. We need to be careful with what our eyes behold, especially in the world today where all sorts of worldly attraction compete for our attention. We focus our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, for what is seen is temporal and what is unseen is eternal.
Then finally we need to deal with our feet. Our means of locomotion, which bring us to where we go. We have to know the direction where we are going, and to walk in established ways or level paths, not the unsecured or unstable way, lest we stumble or fall. We should be steadfast and determined to follow the right direction where God leads us, and should not be misled to the wrong turn.
This is living wisely.
