This is a great memory verse, and many of us probably memorized it when we were teenagers or children. It says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” When we come to the Proverbs, we are obviously engaging with the wisdom passages of Scripture. These passages address life and provide practical advice for living. They contain excellent verses that are beneficial for meditation and consideration. They are written for easy memorization and meditation as we ponder their meanings. So, we ask the question: what does this verse mean? What is Solomon discussing? What does it mean to keep?
If you want to keep your possessions, you have to guard them. When I was younger, riding in the backseat of the car with my french fries, I had to guard them against my brother. If I wanted to keep my french fries, I had to protect them from him. So it means to guard, to hold onto something.
The verse here says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” So, we are instructed to guard our hearts. To guard it is to protect it. Of course, we’re not just talking about the organ that pumps blood throughout our body, although that certainly applies. A healthy heart generally leads to a long life. But here, the heart is clearly the center of our emotions and our will, the core of our personal autonomy. It’s where we make decisions, and in the Bible, it symbolizes the essence of who we are. It says to keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it come the issues of life. We understand that our core self encompasses our beliefs, emotions, and goals—everything that springs from them. We are supposed to guard this part of our lives. The reality is that many people try to influence us, to lead us astray, and to win our hearts, thus manipulating our emotions. However, Solomon, in his guidance to a young man, emphasizes the importance of guarding your heart. It’s likely the most valuable aspect of our identity as individuals. We must keep it safe.
What are we keeping it safe from? What are we guarding it against? We want to protect our minds from vanity and foolishness. We want to guard ourselves from folly and its pursuit. We want to defend against sin, dishonesty, and greed, just to name a few. We aim to safeguard it against temptation. To be clear, we want our hearts to be free of guilt. We don’t want to guard ourselves only against evil objects, goals, and pursuits in our lives, which often come to us as temptations, drawing us away from God. Solomon encourages his son to guard against these influences that may lead us away from the Lord in our walk with Him.
It also says here to keep our hearts right. So what are we supposed to do? It tells us to keep our hearts right and to guard them with all diligence. How are we keeping it right? How are we going to guard against evil influences, foolishness, sin, dishonesty, and temptation? We’re going to guard it through prayer. We’re going to protect it by staying in communication with God and praying every single day. I would say one of the most important aspects of our walk with God is daily prayer. Daily prayer is simply submitting to the Lord. When we go to the Lord in prayer, we say, “Lord, You’re the one in charge here. You’re the one I need help from. You are the source of wisdom, direction, and protection. You’re the one I look to for getting through the day and for getting my family through the day.” And, of course, it’s about hearing the Word of God through teaching, discussion, and reading it for ourselves. The Word of God should enter your life not just through hearing but through your personal pursuit of reading it, studying it, meditating on it, and memorizing verses. This way, you’ll have it in your mind, ready to recall when you’re driving down the road, working, or in quiet moments. Having the Word of God in our minds allows those quiet times to become moments for meditation. We will meditate on the Word of God to help guard our hearts. We’ll focus on the principles and precepts of the Word of God and consider how God wants us to live our lives. The great thing is if you’ve memorized and read the Word of God, those verses will come to mind when you face situations where they apply. They’ll guide you through those moments, reminding you of the right actions to take. And, of course, you’re praying for God’s grace, seeking the Spirit to sanctify and preserve you, keeping you from temptation and delivering you from it.