“Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage] And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity]. 26Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet, And all your ways will be steadfast and sure. 27Do not turn away to the right nor to the left [where evil may lurk]; Turn your foot from [the path of] evil.”

Proverbs 4:25-27 AMP

Solid wisdom for King Solomon today! He ends this section of Proverbs with advice that will keep one from being distracted by the lure of sin. The terms he chooses here are military in nature. As a teenage boy, I marched with a drum and bugle corp. One of the first things I learned was the practice of discipline. There were times when we simply stood at attention for long periods of time practicing not being distracted by the surrounding noises or activities. You see, during a competition judges roam the field evaluating the corps performance. There were moments when judges would stand directly in front of you waiting to see if you made a mistake. If you were distracted by their presence, the whole corps could be affected by your distraction! We were taught to keep our eyes straight ahead, ignore their presence, and keep our minds on the performance! Solomon is telling us the same for our spiritual walk and physical life. The Bible says,

“No soldier in active service gets entangled in the [ordinary business] affairs of civilian life; [he avoids them] so that he may please the one who enlisted him to serve.”

2 Timothy 2:4 AMP

If we are the army of the Lord, then we must be laser focused on accomplishing the orders of the Commander and Chief! Notice that the area Solomon is talking about is “moral courage.” The world today is sorely lacking in this particular area yet, Solomon puts it in the number position! He encourages the young to “let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity].” The world is filled with so much deception it is now the exception to find people who truly walk in integrity. You see, if you look around at the ill-gotten gains of the deceivers, you may be tempted to walk in their way. The Psalmist wrote,

“But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. 3For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”

Psalms 73:2-3 AMP

Do you see it? The writer lost focus of where he was heading and began to look to the left and right seeing the prosperity of the wicked. It wasn’t until he got his eyes back on the mark that he realized that their end was the destruction of their souls!

“When I considered how to understand this, It was too great an effort for me and too painful 17Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood [for I considered] their end.18Surely You set the wicked-minded and immoral on slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19How they are destroyed in a moment! They are completely swept away by sudden terrors!” Psalms

73:16-19 AMP

This is exactly what Solomon said would happen to the wicked in the first three Proverbs we studied. The issue is that many times that judgement is delayed but know for sure that it will come! Let me encourage you today to take the way of integrity and fix your eyes on the reward that will be brought to you in the heavenlies! 

Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken