In biblical terms King Solomon is encouraging us to protect the centre of who we are, our thoughts, desires, motives and affections because that is the centre of who we are and everything flows from iti.
King Solomon is instructing his son and pictures the heart as the source of everything that needs to be protected lest it spoils everything. In Proverbs Chapter 4, Solomon pictures this that need to be protected with all jealousy. He is encouraging us to walk the path of life through the wisdom of protecting the heart.
The heart is the inner self, the command centre that determines our action, words, and relationships. This gives direction of our life and destiny. By guarding our hearts, the writer wants us to avoid our inner self from being polluted. We are encouraged to keep our hearts on inner self pure.
Why do we need to guard our hearts?
The Bible explains why the heart has to be guarded. Jeremiah 17:9 says,” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick.” This means your heat can deceive others and yourself and drag you into mud if not guarded.
Matthew 15:19 further concur that, “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.” Here, Jesus is giving us a picture that sin originates from within. If nursed from within, it will manifest itself practically. Sin starts from within, the heart that need to be guarded.
Matthew 6:21 also says, “Where your treasure is, there is your heart will be also.” This means our heart tend to follow on things that we tend to treasure. If we treasure good things, our hearts will follow suit.
How best can we guard our hearts?
This involves actively and deliberately guarding our hearts:
- We guard with God’s word.
David says.” I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11).
Colossians 3:16 says,” Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
This means if we are filled with the word of God, sin will be driven and kept out of us, there will be no space for it.
- Companionship and what surrounds us matters to guard our hearts.
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.” People we surround ourselves with have a bearing on shaping our character. They have an input in our decision making. We are warned that bad company corrupts good morals. This comes in form of bad friends, gossip, and immoral influence. In most cases the moral decay is slow, so gradual that you may notice.
Psalm 1:1 says,” Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
In conclusion, we are urged to guard our inner being with all caution. We need to take care of people who influence our perception, bad habits that may end up being our character.
