Proverbs 4:20-27

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

The Book of Proverbs is full of practical and simple instructions given by a father to equip his child with honest, successful, and productive living. The Book teaches that there is divine wisdom given to man but it does not exclude the use of common sense. Divine wisdom and common sense are needed to live the kind of life God intends for those who will hear Him and heed His instruction.

In the verses being addressed in this writing, the hearer is instructed to listen attentively to what is being said. Why? Many times we hear God, but we do not listen. In other words, we know He is speaking to us, but we are not obedient to His commands or directions. The hearer is challenged and encouraged to keep the words (instruction) is his heart – not only in his head. We should not just “memorize” God’s Word but we should also take it to heart by living it. The spoken words are defined as “life and health” to all who hear, accept and live by them.

The hearer is instructed and encouraged to live by more action from the heart and less action from idle and demeaning conversation. The most important challenge is to remain focused on God and the things of God. There are so many everyday distractions that tend to take us away from studying God’s Word, communicating with God through prayer, and living out God’s plan for us by being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The chapter closes by instructing the hearer to consider the way he walks (spiritually). Our ways/steps should be set up and ordered by the Lord. We should walk the life of the straight and narrow (spiritually speaking). This does not mean our lives should be uninteresting or boring. But it does mean we should live and step by the Father’s divine leadership. Obedience to His leadership is the catalyst and a necessary component for honest, successful, and productive living. I challenge and encourage you (as I do myself also) to heed our Father’s instruction.  

www.lightseyministries.org