Proverbs 4 concludes with a renewed call to heed a father’s words clothed with the authority of Jehovah.
“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 thy heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart more than anything that is guarded; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee perverseness of mouth, and corrupt lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be well-ordered. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil” (Prov. 4:20-2720My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 25Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 26Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 27Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:20‑27) JND).
The Listening Ear—Attentive Mind – the Heart
When parental affection, in the fear of Him who deigns to teach us, would bring lessons of wisdom before the child, the listening ear and the attentive mind cannot be dispensed with. Personal respect, however due, is not enough: The ears, the eyes and, above all, the heart have their part to do. Such training is to be kept “in the midst” of the heart. What else can be compared with what has Christ for its source, character, object and aim? “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:44In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)). No wonder then that it can be added, “They are life to those that find them and health to all their flesh,” or, as the Apostle says to his genuine son Timothy, “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation” (1 Tim. 4:8-98For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. (1 Timothy 4:8‑9)). No doubt, too, Christianity has given immense accession to the truth by the coming of the Son of God, for “without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Tim. 3:1616And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)). Yes, the secret of piety is in Him thus known as He is; all else is but a fair show in the flesh, which flickers for a moment before it is extinguished forever.
Hence the call to “keep thy heart more than all that is guarded.” The utmost vigilance is needed, “for out of it are the issues of life.”
The Moral Center
Scripture always views the heart as the moral center on which all outward conduct and walk depend. Hence the Lord in Luke 8 speaks of those who in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience. In John 15 He says, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:77If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)). This indeed is piety: to abide in Him who is life and salvation and peace, to have His words, not only obeyed but constantly cherished, with prayers going up and answers coming down accordingly. No wonder then that His Father is glorified, much fruit borne, and the Lord Jesus not ashamed to own such as His disciples.
But there is, meanwhile, evil still allowed to go on around, and what is so trying, it is in our own nature, the old man. That it was crucified with Christ in order that the body of sin might be annulled, so that we might no longer be slaves to sin, is our blessed knowledge by faith. This is no real reason that we should deny the existence of that evil thing in us, but the best and most powerful ground why sin should not “reign” in our mortal body, for we are not under law but under grace. Hence, though this knowledge could be possessed in the Old Testament, yet then as now the word is: “Put away from thee perverseness of mouth, and corruption of lips put far from thee.” The Epistle of James is the plain proof of the importance attached to this, and yet more pressed, if possible, than of old.
The Eyes and the Feet
There is another call quite as urgent. “Let thine eyes look right on, and thine eyelids look straight before thee.” Christ always was the object of faith, and He is now revealed as the way, no less than the truth and the life. But, morally speaking, the eye is of great moment, the state of our spiritual vision. As Christ gives eyes to those who were born blind, so only He makes and keeps our vision clear. “The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness” (Luke 11:34-3534The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. (Luke 11:34‑35)). Let us not forget the searching word. Christ guides safely but by the single eye.
We are also given direction in detail. “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be well-ordered.” Negligence is no more of faith than haste, and we slip in both ways through lack of dependence and attention to the Word of God.
The path of Christ is narrow, but direct through this world to Himself in glory. The saints were ever called to walk with God before their eyes, and His will is now declared thus to honor the Son. Hence, “turn not to the right hand, nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil,” for evil lies on both sides.
W. Kelly (adapted)