Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left, keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)
This passage may not be complete or clear
about the “parts” of a person according to Dallas Willard (Heart/will/spirit,
mind/thoughts/feelings, body, relationships, and soul) but it has enough to be
a good overall bit of advice. We are advised to guard our hearts. Our hearts
are like sheep. They need to be protected from the wolves, lions, and bears of
our lives, but also from their own foolishness. We’re to give careful thought
to our ways and be steadfast, both of which require a clear head. We’re to keep
our feet from evil. We’re to be careful about what comes from our mouths, which
is one of the main ways we establish and maintain relationships. We’re to be
steadfast, which requires careful attention to all of our parts, and that is
the responsibility of the soul.
Overall, the advice has
two keys. The first is to pay attention to ourselves in a governing way. We’re
to take charge of our lives. We’re responsible for them. The second is that
we’re not to pay attention to ourselves in a self-indulgent way. We’re to keep
our mouths free of perversity and corruption, fix our eyes directly ahead, and keep
our feet free from evil.
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