Stand on Guard

 

Proverbs 4:23 – Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

There is some very passionate and intense language in this verse exhorting us to guard our hearts. To guard something implies that there is danger nearby that may threaten its safety and preservation. If I am guarding a valuable treasure, that means that I will have to take precautions to keep it out of the hands of vandals or thieves. I will have to have plans in place to ensure its protection. Anything of value in this life is at risk of being stolen, for there is always a thief watching and waiting to take what doesn’t belong to him.

Not only are we told to guard the treasure of our hearts, we are told to do it above all else. Let this take precedence. Let this be your priority. If we do not guard our hearts, we may lose everything. Nothing else matters if we lose our sense of purpose, or we lose our own sense of value; we have lost everything. I could have a lot of money but be totally empty inside. I could have a large paid-for house, but no friends or family around to enjoy it with me. Or, sadly, I could have a successful ministry and large congregation, but it may have cost me much more than I intended.

Of course, all these things are part of the challenge of living a balanced life. God desires for us to be productive in life; He wants us to be influencers and leaders within our social circles. He knows what it takes to make a living, to raise a family, to serve in your church, or community. Balance and priorities are the keys to a happy and fulfilling life.

Our primary task is keeping a close eye on our heart, which is our inner man, our spirit, the person within, who is in contact and communion with God. Like the roots of a tree, which are hidden from our view, our spirit is rooted in the unseen realm, deep in the soil of God and through that connection, we draw up life from Him. Just as that same tree needs its roots to be protected, so we, too, must diligently guard our hearts for, like the roots, out of it comes our very life. The condition of our life is determined by the condition of our heart, just as the health of the root determines the health of the fruit.

If we’ve made wrong choices and said stupid things, as all of us have, we should listen to the counsel of a friend of mine who always has deep insights from God. He says, ‘Instead of asking others, why does this keep happening to me? We should ask ourselves, why does this keep coming out of me?’ In other words, the problem may be a little closer to home than we would like to admit, but then again, so is the solution.

A tree does not grow on its’ own; it grows within a context and setting. We too, do not grow on our own. We are planted in a setting and within an environment. We are dependent on the temperature of the climate and the condition of the soil. Sun, wind and rain are all factors. We do not control any of those things, but we can control our response to them. In fact, just as God has designed the tree to remain healthy and thus, be able to withstand adversity, we too, have been designed by God to remain healthy and to thereby, resist harsh conditions. We are created to not only survive but thrive.

Guard your heart. Don’t let the hardships and trouble poison you. Don’t let those things change you. You are a child of the Father and His love is in you, and one of the best ways to guard your heart is to keep walking in love. I’ve always been impressed with those who have gone through the harshest experiences and bitter betrayals, and yet have remained tender and sweet. Now, that is the kind of tree that will fill one’s life with bountiful and beautiful fruit forever.