TODAY IN THE WORD
When Harry Truman became president, House speaker Sam Rayburn took him aside and said, 'From here on out you're going to have lots of people around you. They'll try to put a wall around you and cut you off from any ideas but theirs. They'll tell you what a great man you are, Harry. But you and I both know you ain't.'

Rayburn wasn't trying to insult Truman. He was simply warning the new president to be on his guard. The Bible tells us to do the same thing. We need to guard our hearts because the heart is the seat of our affections, and therefore of our decisions.

This truth is one more nugget in the gold mine of godly wisdom from the Proverbs. Our goal this month is to learn more about how God wants us to live and to capitalize on the resources He has provided to help us discover the path of life. Proverbs 4 contains much wisdom for us.

Today's reading presents two very clear alternativesÑtwo paths that lead to very different ends. God is eager to lead us along a path that is straight, well-marked by His wisdom, and illuminated by His love.

When we walk along this path, with God's instruction Book in our hands (v. 13), we don't need to worry about stumbling. God is not in the business of putting obstacles in our way.

In contrast, 'the path of the wicked' (v. 14) is a sharp turn in the road. Instead of being straight and well-lit, it is twisted and dark, littered with the stones and potholes of sin.

Solomon could not have been any more plain. If we live according to the standards of God's Word, we will end up in 'the full light of day' (v. 18). But sin produces only darkness and eventual gloom. And no one will be able to say that God did not make the two choices clear.

So how do we make sure we stay on the right path? Verses 20-27 give us all the instruction we need. Solomon tells us to keep a guard on what goes into our hearts and what comes out of our mouths.

At the same time, we need to keep our eyes straight ahead, fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:2), so that we can see where we're going. Anyone can follow a well-marked path by paying attention to the signs.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We used to sing a children's chorus that begins, 'O be careful little eyes what you see.'

The song goes on to urge that we guard what our ears hear, what our hands do, and where our feet go. That's a pretty good spiritual checklist! We suggest you follow the song's biblical advice today and do a head-to-foot checkup on your Christian life.

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