Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.Proverbs 4:23 from New International Version (NIV)
There are two extremes that individuals tend to take:
– free love – and an open book for all to read, or take a page from
– rock solid fortress
Guarding implies neither, yet somewhere in between. I know this is something I have struggled with, leaning to one side & not the side that everyone who I have encountered would expect, for it depended on the relationship. A symbol of openness has always been a part of my life, but it was not always true. What I am striving for, and what I see the verse really promoting is a few things:
- your heart is valuable & needs to be protected from outside forces that would poison it
- your heart is what is to be used to provide good to the world or others around you
If we lived this way, we would either
– end up with less pain and scars from people who would take advantage and damage our hearts
– connect & help more people on a deeper level
That type of world would be a great step to take.
Part of the Proverbs Challenge series
