Look Directly Forward

Proverbs 4:25-27 “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”

This world has so many distractions for us and seemingly tempts us at every corner. The world with its advertisements of sin call to us. At first, we can become accustomed to these calls or advertisements to sin because we are so used to being exposed to them. Perhaps we allow them to stay a little longer in our line of sight. Then we watch them on our phones or our TVs. What we look at with our eyes begins to fill our mind with sinful thoughts. With the mind being like a garden, these sinful seeds can take root and grow deep into our heart if not quickly uprooted.

Take time to reflect on your path and the direction you are going. Are there distractions in your life which take your eyes off of Christ? Are you swerving off the straight and narrow path into the wide, easy lane of destruction? Are your eyes looking forward on the prize or are you distracted by your surroundings?

Consider yourself someone who runs a race. You must train your body to run the race, to persevere, and cross the finish line. If you were to run the race and not look directly forward, would you be able to cross the finish line? If you were to look to the right or left while running, would you be able to complete the race without falling? This is a great proverb which reminds all of us to ponder the paths of our feet and look directly forward.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”