Having digested and fully considered ‘He restores my soul…’ in its diverse dimensions; today we focus now on the next phrase in David’s ‘hymn of praise to divine diligence’: ‘He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ One translation puts it: ‘He leads me in the paths that are right.’ Another says: ‘He leads me in the right way.’ Once we follow the divine guidance and leadings of our Lord Jesus Christ in life, the fact remains that He leads us in good righteous way free of stumbles that perpetually keep us on the floor or ground due the fall of man! The Hebrew word for ‘paths’ means ‘well defined or clearly marked trails’. The stereotype of sheep is that they are stubborn and self –willed creatures. If left to themselves, they will almost invariably leave a well-defined trail and wander off in a direction of their own choosing. An experienced shepherd, of course, is well aware of all this, and tries to offset this tendency by going ahead of his sheep and making himself as visible as possible in terms of guidance so that they follow as He leads. We, too as humans especially Christians, at times are stubborn and self-willed creatures –we prefer to go our own way and do our own thing, just as the Scripture says: ‘6 All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has made to light upon Him the guilt and iniquity of us all’ as seen in Isaiah 53:6. As Philip Keller said: ‘It is by no mere whim on God’s part that He has called us sheep. Our behavioral patterns and life habits or style are so much like those of a sheep that is well-nigh embarrassing.’ This desire that we have for self-determination, however has got to be checked or else the results will be disastrous. The Prophet Micah said: ‘O shepherd, guide thy people, thine own flock, so lonely, lonely like a wild patch within a garden’ (Micah 7:14. Moffatt). The universe around us is orderly because it obeys God and follows the will of its Creator –it is a garden. When we obey ourselves, rather than God, then we are a wild patch of disorderliness within that garden of orderliness.

Now let us read Proverbs 4:10-27; 10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings, and the years of your life shall be many. 11 I have taught you in the way of skillful and godly Wisdom [which is comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God]; I have led you in paths of uprightness. 12 When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered [your path will be clear and open]; and when you run, you shall not stumble. 13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. 14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn from it and pass on. 16 For they cannot sleep unless they have caused trouble or vexation; their sleep is taken away unless they have caused someone to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared]. 19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. 20 My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you. 25 Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. 26 Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright. 27 Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil.

When our focus is on God, our lives are transformed. We become reflections of His glory, experience His peace, and find freedom from anxiety of life. Do you see how this portion of the Scripture is important in our life but how many of us know this? This is part eight in a brief series on the book of Proverbs that Fred Zaspel is writing (see part one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven). In this series, he will be noting an overview, certain themes, and specific texts in the book of Proverbs. Fred Zaspel was a PhD holder from the Free University of Amsterdam and serves as a pastor at Reformed Baptist Church in Franconia, Pennsylvania, an adjunct professor of systematic theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and executive editor at Books At a Glance. From verses 10-19 we have the inspired father’s fifth lecture or admonition to his son, and in it he rehearses some themes that are now familiar to us. • There is the contrast between the way of wisdom and righteousness on the one hand and the way of folly and sin on the other. • There is the link – even a near parallel – between wisdom and righteousness, and between foolishness and sin. • There is the motivational clause expressing the value, the pay-off of wisdom, the reminder that righteousness truly is wise. • There is the warning about the foolishness of sin. • There is the concern not just to conform to the teaching but to value it. Verse 13: “13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” Do you see how Teaching is personified here and you are asked to hold fast to it and to value it! But today people no longer value teaching and they do not even see the need to hold fast to it, too bad! So it may sound like I’m repeating myself in these studies. I don’t feel embarrassed by that because that’s what the inspired sage is doing. In fact, it would be a very naïve father who assumed that teaching his son something once would be sufficient. It takes some years to grow up, and learning requires repetition. And these admonitions as presented in Prov. 1-9 in several ways are very repetitive, especially with regard to this connection between wisdom and righteousness. Over and again he reminds his son that it is wise to be righteous and foolish to pursue sin. It seems he can’t make that link often enough. And in fact it’s just the connection we’re apt to forget – there is what we call “remaining sin.” “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child,” and even after we grow up, even after coming to Christ and experiencing the cleansing and renewal He gives, and all the way until we go to be with Christ, sin remains – and it confuses us. When tempted to sin we foolishly think it will pay off. We need this reminder every day that it is wise to be righteous and foolish to pursue sin. And so to guard his son against forgetting this realistic teaching, in each of these lectures the Inspired Sage reminds him (his son) again and again. But today, you find out that once you start repeating something to these young ones of this generation, they become irritant and outburstful! This wise father, the inspired sage also reminds his son repeatedly to “keep” the instruction he gives him (v.13) – to guard and protect it, to recognize its value and treasure it accordingly, to recognize its value and adopt it as his own. He’s trying desperately not just to steer his son’s behavior but to reach his heart – to make him see that the instruction God gives us for life is immeasurably good for us. It pays off. It results in a life without regret, a life that is blessed. As he says in verse 12, “12 When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered [your path will be clear and open]; and when you run, you shall not stumble.” And so, in verse 13 he exhorts him again, “13 Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.” Or Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Isn’t it ironic that although everyone wants to get the most out of life, we so easily ignore the one prescription that never fails to give it; which is taking instructions or adhering to teaching. God has told us how to live so as to know His favor, and we have to be told again and again and again. And then we forget anyway. Surely that says something about the human heart, the remaining sin! And we just have to know it, and try guiding its tendencies to bring about life regrets. The remainder of this admonition (vv. 14-19) consists of another exhortation to the life of wisdom, only now it is the wisdom of shunning sin (vv. 14-15) and an attending explanation / motivation (vv.16-19). Verses 14-15 give us the exhortation: “14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, do not go on it; turn from it and pass on. Why? Verses 16-19 explain at length: 16 For they cannot sleep unless they have caused trouble or vexation; their sleep is taken away unless they have caused someone to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared]. 19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. All this to say, Avoid sin at all costs. It’s foolish to get involve in sin. It does not pay off. It does not deliver what it promises. You’d only be a fool to pursue it. So always avoid it the best you can. Because of the family setting here I keep coming back to application for you parents. This is a model you should follow. Don’t just tell your kids not to do this and that – teach them the folly of sin. Take the time to try to reach their hearts, and press upon them the reality that they live under God and are bound for their own good to listen and abide by all His Teachings. They must know that whether they acknowledge it or not there is a moral order to this world put there by God Himself which should not by any means be violated. They must know that to violate that order will not work out well for them. For their own sakes they must prize the direction for life that God gives. “Don’t be a fool. Be wise and live unto God.” For you not to be a fool, Live your life by every word that comes out of the mouth of God! So in this fifth admonition (vv. 10-19) the inspired sage again admonishes his son to prize wisdom for his own good and to avoid sin at all costs.

Now in his next lecture (vv. 20-27) he exhorts his son yet again to listen well to divine wisdom. And again the theme is that of wise living, only this time he has some very specific points of reference. First, we have again his call to capture his son’s attention, to reach his son’s heart (vv. 20-21): 20 My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. Again he presses his son both to listen up (v.20) and to remember (v.21). And again he is trying as far as he is able to reach his son’s heart so that he will value this instruction rightly and adopt it as his own. “Keep them in the center of your heart.” The problem with most of us parents is that we do not make effort to reach the heart of our children and this day even if we do the children are not ready to listen and are not ready to learn from the teaching of parents, especially good parents! And then again we have the motivational clause (v.22): “22 For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.” Speaking in metaphor again he presents wisdom as the medicine needed for life and health. “Listen up, son, you want and need this instruction! It will keep you from getting sick (as it were). It will make life blessed.” It will make you avoid regrets in life! Now notice his specific points of application in verses 23-27: 23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you. 25 Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. 26 Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright. 27 Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil. Notice that his instruction this time is directed to specific body parts and functions: the heart (v.23), the mouth (v.24), the eyes (v.25), and the feet (v.26-27). The heart – what we are. The mouth – what we say. The eyes – what we look at. And the feet – where we go. Clearly this father is trying to stress that the wisdom of God is designed to shape all of life – who we are, what we say, what we look at, and where we go. Once an individual is able to take proper care of all these areas in life, regrets will be minimize and blessedness will increase! Some of you may remember, as I do, learning the little children’s song in Sunday School: O be careful little feet where you go! O be careful little feet where you go! For the Father up above is looking down in love, O be careful little feet where you go! Then there were other stanzas: O be careful little hands what you do! O be careful little tongue what you say! O be careful little eyes what you see and look! O be careful little ears what you hear and cherish! That counsel is very important, and it reflects these verses here in Proverbs 4. But we should be careful to note the importance he places on the heart, our heart (v.23). ESV: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” KJV: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” NIV: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” “Keep” has the idea not just of preserving but guarding, protecting. “Guard, protect your heart with all diligence.” The NIV translation stresses the sense, obviously in view, that nothing is more important than this – “Above all else, guard your heart.” The “heart” in Scripture, as often in our own usage, does not refer to the organ that pumps blood. Sometimes it refers to the affections, as it often does in English, but the ancient world usually had other expressions for that. The “heart” in Scripture consistently refers to the inner self and all that it comprises – your psyche (the human soul, mind or spirit), your mind, your affections, your will and your desire. The heart is that inner person that makes you you – with all your desires and ambitions and appetites and thoughts and plans; which is why people will always say, ‘something inside me said or told me but it was a faint voice and I ignored it, but see what has happened, if I had known…regrets’ that could have been avoided if you had listened to the Christ in you! The heart in Proverbs is the seat of wisdom (Prov. 2:10), the seat of trust or confidence (3:5), the source of plans and schemes (6:18), the seat of lust (6:25), understanding (8:5), rebellion (11:20), and intellectual pursuits (16:9). Again, the “heart” is the inner self that makes you you. That’s what Proverbs 27:19 says – “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.” Your heart is who and what you are. It’s our “center,” the seat of personality. Heart is The center of life! The place where God indwells us. The Temple of God inside of us. Our closet where God wants us to be with Him as to reason. And it’s our heart that the inspired sage says we must “guard with all vigilance, above all else.” Above every other responsibility – before your responsibility to make money, earn a living, take care of your health – before anything else! – guard your heart. Protect who you are inwardly. Why? Because “from it flow the springs of life.” Everything about you springs from who you are on the inside. Who and what you are inwardly – in your mind, your affections, your will, and your desires – determines everything about you, all the choices you make and all that you do. That’s why in David’s repentance he says that what God desires is “truth in the inward being” and “wisdom in the secret heart” (Ps. 51:6). And that’s why a genuine repentance acknowledges the need not just for forgiveness but a “clean heart” (Ps. 51:10); whenever you are asking God for forgiveness, make sure you have decided inside of yourself ahead that you will from hence maintain a clean heart and ask God to help you do so because left for you you cannot on your own which is why people make new year pledges but cannot keep it. We sin because of a bad heart. It’s our own desires that led us astray (James. 1:14). And this is why the saving work or grace of Christ secures for us not only acceptance before God and forgiveness of sins but transformation – a “new heart” programmed (as it were) after God’s law (Jer. 31:31-34). This is why it is such a misunderstanding to think that Christianity is all about Do’s and Don’ts. Genuine religion is about the inner man – the heart. This is why legalism always fails. Guiding external behavior with rules and regulations only goes so far. What is needed is a heart to do what is right from the inside. This is why repentance is so necessary to transformation – there must be a change of mind and heart before behavioral progress will be made. If you struggle with a given sin, the path of progress will be marked first by genuine repentance and a change of heart. Your heart is who you are. “As he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7 KJV). It’s like that old saying, “You’re not what you think you are, but what you think, you are.” Your “heart” is the real you from where everything comes from. And it is because the heart is who we are, and because who and what we are inwardly determines everything about us, this sage wisely exhorts his son, “Above all else, guard your heart.” “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” Protect it from evil influence. Feed it wholesome thoughts, healthful thoughts. Make sure its influences are wisdom-oriented. Don’t let your heart linger on sensual or covetous thoughts. Don’t nurse bitter feelings or resentment or greed or selfishness or anger. Don’t let sin infect your heart and steer the course of your life astray. Be careful what you think about. Be careful what you watch. Be careful what you listen to. Be careful that your continual exposure to evil around you does not desensitize you to sin and foolishness. “Above all else, guard your heart.” “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” As Moses says, “apply your heart to wisdom” (Ps. 90:12 KJV). Read God’s Word, and think on it when you get up in the morning and all day long (Dt. 6:6). Hide it in your heart as a protective against sin (Ps. 119:11). “Think on things that are above” (Col. 3:1). Guard your heart. This is why this wise father presses his son so not just to conform outwardly but to imbibe his teaching and prize it in his heart. This is what the admonitions of Proverbs 1-9 are all about – “Listen to wisdom! Program your mind after what is wise.” Why? Because this will determine everything else about you. Everything about you stems from what you are inwardly. And so you must give every diligence to guard your heart and protect it from evil influences. I suspect this idea of the central importance of the heart explains the connection to verses 24-27. • Verse 24: “O be careful, little tongue, what you say!” • Verse 25: “O be careful, little eyes, what you see!” • Verses 26-27: “O be careful, little feet, where you go!” The point here is not only that we must avoid saying and looking at things we shouldn’t and going places we should not go. Of course that is at least what he has in mind. But it’s more than that. When you engage in talk about things that are not wholesome or let your eyes wander to things unhealthful or deviate in your path even a few degrees off center and walk in the counsel of the wicked or in the way of sinners (Ps. 1:1), it will deform your heart and skew everything about you. If you are wise, you will guard your heart carefully lest a diseased heart steer your life into regret. Instead, make the things of God your topic of conversation (Josh. 1:8). Fellowship with people who influence you to wisdom and righteousness. When you pick up your Bible and read, you are not just fulfilling some obligation of behavior – you’re guarding your heart. When you think on it and mull over its meaning and memorize it, you’re guarding your heart. When you spend time with other Christians and observe their walk with Christ, you’re guarding your heart. When you fellowship with them and engage in wholesome conversation, you’re guarding your heart. And that is the very most important thing about you. I suppose every parent has had to answer his child who wants to go to this or that event. You’ve said “No,” but the child wants to know why. Because you’ve said “No” is sufficient, but you want to teach your child too. And so you explain. Often it’s not that the given event or activity is itself wrong – it’s just that the circumstances of the event are not such that promise the influence of wisdom but of folly. It’s better for your children’s heart that they do not go, and it’s in the interest of their heart as to what it will acquire from there that you don’t allow them to go. And it is the same for all of us at every age.

The importance of Proverbs 4:23, “23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life” is just massive. That’s what it says – it’s life shaping. The heart determines everything about us. “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” This principle is reflected in the New Testament also. In Colossians 3 the apostle Paul famously launches into an extended exhortation regarding Christian behavior. He commands us against such things as immorality, malice, slander, and obscene talk. He commands concerning relationships in the home and the workplace. And he commands us to such virtues as compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and unity. All this is enormously important. But he couches it all in terms of the inner man. We are to be people whose ambitions are set on “things above,” people in whose heart the “peace of God” rules, and people in whose heart the Word of Christ “dwells richly.” And we are to be people who do all for the glory of Christ. In short, we are to be people who are transformed from the inside out. Now of course what this passage from Proverbs ought to do is drive us to see our need of Christ. What we need is what the new covenant promises in Him – a new heart (Ezek. 36:26; Lk. 22:19-20). We’ve experienced that in part, and, thankfully, it shows. But we look forward to the day when this work of God in us will be complete (1Jn. 3:2), and until then we must strive to “be what we are.” We must guard our hearts – deny evil influence and pursue every good influence. Our concern is not only right behavior externally – what we do or don’t do. Our concern is who and what we are inwardly. And so we must not only guard and protect our hearts – we must nourish them carefully and strengthen them in grace. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” so that this wisdom of God shapes you from the inside out. Approach the Scriptures with this conviction driving you – that this is good for my heart, nourishment and protection from foolishness and regret. We Christians make much of the fact that it is ultimately only the sovereign God who can change the heart. That a necessary emphasis. And it’s a truth we revel in. But let us never forget that the sovereign God who changes the heart uses means to do it. “Of His own will He brought us forth” (James. 1:18) – that’s a wonderful truth. But we must complete the verse: “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth.” It is by means of His Word that we all were given life and were converted. And it is also by means of that same Word our transformation of heart continues. Keep, guard, protect – indeed, strengthen – your heart by feeding it with the things of God. Do this “diligently” so as to shape the course of a life without regret. It is lack of diligence in the things and word of God that we are not getting good results! What verse 23 means, very simply, is that you cannot expect spiritual success without continued and prolonged attention to God’s Word and things of God on the one hand and careful avoidance of sinful influences on the other. Following the family context here again we should see this as a model for parents. What this father wants is to protect and direct his son’s heart to wisdom and away from folly. That’s the parent’s responsibility in a nutshell – direct your child’s heart to wisdom and away from folly. And teach them the importance of it. Make sure they know that this is life-shaping business: “Keep your heart, for out of it flow the springs of life.” Life is in large measure the result of choices we make, so guard the heart in order to ensure wise choices. Guard the heart; allow God’s word to influence all that you do, decide and desire. And this is every bit as important for Dad and Mom too. “Guard your heart, for out of it flow the issues of life.” God give us a heart shaped by wisdom – for His honor and for our own good.