²⁵Let your eyes look forward;

fix your gaze straight ahead.

²⁶Carefully consider the path for your feet,

and all your ways will be established.

²⁷Don’t turn to the right or to the left;

keep your feet away from evil.

Proverbs 4:25-27 (CSB)

If we want to live wisely and behave in a godly way, where should our focus be? God should be at the heart of everything that we do, but we easily get caught up in our own lives, whether it’s our past regrets or present anxieties. However, Solomon tells us where our focus should be: straight ahead. There are many things that we can allow ourselves to dwell on on a daily basis, but it is wise to keep our focus on the future, on our purpose. If we don’t do this, we risk missing out on the opportunities God has for us every day.

But what future and purpose should we focus on? Our goals for the next year, 5 years, or 10 years? I think it’s much more profound than that. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, “Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.” Our focus should be on eternity, on crossing the finish line and seeing God face-to-face.

With this goal in mind, Solomon offers a way to move forward. “Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.” So we aren’t simply looking toward the future and ignoring the present, instead, we should take every step with eternity in mind. Paul gives relevant advice to living life this way. He says, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

So we shouldn’t just do things on autopilot, or do things because that’s what everyone else is doing, or do things because that’s what we’ve always done. Instead, we should make conscious decisions that reflect our commitment to God and our focus on Him. When we do this, He promises that “all your ways will be established”. We are weak, but God promises to help us when we seek Him.

As we try to live out this wisdom, it becomes clear that it’s easier said than done. This world presents many distractions that tear our attention away from what’s truly important. These distractions are inevitable, but we shouldn’t give in and “turn to the right or to the left”. There are things in this life that are enticing, be it wealth, drugs, status, and even things that aren’t inherently bad, but can be misused. But these things are evil, and we should take every effort, with God’s help, to keep our feet on the right path, which He lays out for us in His word.

Wisdom is not only about acknowledging God and believing in Him, it’s about living each day to give glory to Him.

Blessings,

Joleen