My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do the journey ot swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:20-27 ESV).
Some of you may not be familiar with the idiom of “fly by the seat of your pants.” If you fly by the seat of your pants or do something by the seat of your pants, you use your instincts to tell you what to do in a new or difficult situation rather than following a plan or relying on equipment. There is something to be said for spontaneity in some social activity. However, “flying by the seat of your pants” is not a wise thing to do in your spiritual life. To be spontaneous in our decision making concerning our values and behavior assumes that our thoughts are pure and unaffected by our sin nature. That simply is not true. In fact, we are unreliable in making good decisions with the instruction and inspiration of the Lord.
Today’s reading is another step in the journey toward wisdom. Solomon says we are to be intentional in listening to the words of the Lord; we are to be very careful to implement them into our decisions. Our “gaze” is to be straight in front of us. It is another way of saying we should not be distracted by anything that would turn us from following Christ. Here’s what the writer of Hebrews says in the matter:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV).
The great news is that God has given us the ability to do just that. We can know His will for us; and, we do have the strength to walk in His will. It is not easy. It is possible. What will you do?