20 My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Do not let them depart from your sight;
Keep them in the midst of your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them
And health to all [g]their body.
23 Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth
And put devious [h]speech far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your [i]gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
26 Watch the path of your feet
And all your ways will be established.
27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left;
Turn your foot from evil.
As Solomon wraps up this chapter, he reminds us to keep these things (God’s wisdom especially) in our sights, and “in the midst of your heart.” That is, we should make God’s truth our center, our focus, it should be first and foremost, not just in our mind, but our heart also. “For from it flow the springs of life.” Everything follows the heart, and if it isn’t centered on God, you better watch out for distractions (to the right and the left both).
As I read vv. 25-26, I’m reminded of a couple songs. One by TobyMac called Move (Keep walkin’) that encourages us to keep moving and to lift up our heads. Of course, that reminds me of another song inspired by one of David’s psalms that says, “I lift my eyes, from where does my help come from? Not from the mountains, but the one who made the mountains.”
A lot of things get in our way, life will throw us curveballs, but God has promised, “He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it.” He isn’t done with you yet, so keep walking, straight ahead, even if there are mountains in your way.
Which brings us back to the other song. I don’t know if it has a name, but it’s from VeggieTales, where the inhabitants of Jericho (a bunch of French peas, never mind what it says in Joshua 2-6) were taunting the Israelites. In short, they taunted, “Keep walking, but you won’t knock down our wall!”
Instead, God says, “Keep walking, and watch me knock down that wall…” Listen to His voice, keep your eyes fixed on Him, and make God the center of your life, and keep walking, straight as an arrow, on the path made by the one who never wavers and never fails.