Passage of the Day:
Then he taught me, and he said to me, “Take hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands, and you will live. 5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. 6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you love her, and she will watch over you. 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom. Though it cost all you have,[b] get understanding. 8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.” 10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. 11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. 13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. 14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.15 Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. 16 For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. 17 They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. 18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. 20 My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. 23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your fee and be steadfast in all your ways. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil, Proverbs 4:4-27.
Reflection:
As a parent, it’s almost like a second nature to want to protect your children. Sometimes in your eagerness to lend a helping hand, you may exasperate a daughter or son, Ephesians 6:4. Meanwhile, those that try to keep their distance by giving a child their freedom, this decision may open the door for evil to enter their lives, Ephesians 4:26-27. In today’s featured passage, King Solomon is looking back on his own life, urging one of his sons not to make the same mistakes as he did as a teenager. Solomon’s most urgent advice centers around protecting your heart as this organ is the wellspring for life.
Prayerful Action:
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith, Philippians 3:7-9.
Restoring Your Heart:
Goal oriented individuals tend to stop at the end of a day, week or month to evaluate if they are any closer to accomplishing specific aspirations. Depending upon your age, priorities often change as activities, hobbies and interests change from one season to the next. As for the apostle Paul, he appears to have become addicted to Jesus, fully engaged into reaching as many lost souls as possible. Nonetheless, any Christian is vulnerable to the Devil if you don’t protect your heart.
Song of the Day:
The lyrics of You Need to Know by Bob Hanson, the Bob Dylan of Christian music, appears to be addressed to a prodigal friend. The song serves as a prayer to anyone whose life is falling apart. Don’t live off on your own; turn to Jesus and He’ll teach you how to protect your heart.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 