Dakota Beerman

I was reading the Proverbs. I was struck by this phrase, “Guard your heart, because everything you do flows from it.”

The context of this scripture is a father giving his son advice. He tell’s his son to watch out for his own heart. Why?

Have you ever strongly desired something bad for you?

I once stole an xbox from my Grandma. It’s true, it’s funny, and it flowed from a desire to play video games.

What do I desire, and what do I need to look out for?1

Proverbs 4:23-26

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.

Here is your instruction manual for seeing what is in your heart:

1. What are your desires?
   • What are things I want? Success? Money? Position? Power?
2. What is coming out of your mouth?
   • What do you talk about? Ask close friends, “what do you hear me talking about a lot?”
3. What are you looking at?
   • Take inventory of you website history, your social media likes, and anything else you might be gazing at.
4. What are you thinking about?
   • Like your sight, inventory your thoughts. What do you worry about? Stress about? Day dream about?

For me, I realized it was my time. When asking people close to me what I talk about it’s often alone time, exercise (alone), and solitude. I look at people who have Free’d up their time and do what they want. When I Inventory my thinking it tells me I dream about the day I have free time galore!

The Problem:

My time isn’t mine. Not completely. My boss, my wife, and ultimately God take time from me. So when I make plans and my time is taken, I’ll be disappointed. Unless I guard my heart.