My daughter has two boys, one that is around 6 months and another which just turned 2. When you go to her house one does not have to look far to notice that this house has babies. Even if no one was home it is easy to tell it is a house that has babies.
How so? Cabinets that have dangerous chemicals have a special lock on so that children can’t open the door. There are gates to keep the children from falling down stairs. The house has many safety features to keep little fingers from danger.
The house has been baby proofed. As much as possible, the desire is to protect them from danger. Protection.
Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
This is a protection passage. The instruction here is with passion, diligence, be deliberate, on purpose, protect your heart. Is this the muscle that beats in our chest?
No, this is not a call to watch our sugar intake and get cardio exercise. Even though I could use that advice as well.
The heart in this passage is the essence of your life. The mind. That thing that processes what we see and hear.
This passage is saying, be careful what you see and hear. Be careful what you allow into your world. This is a baby proofing passage.
Just as my daughter takes precautions for her boys, this Scripture is saying, take precautions. Set up boundaries.
My Lord has taught me to look away. That is protection. Keep the danger from entering the mind. Do this with vigilance.
When we are faced with the potential of thinking deadly thoughts of lust, anger or anything else like this, guard the heart. Don’t let it in. keep the springs of life pure.
As always S.D.G.