Focus on Following Christ (Proverbs 4:25-27)

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. ²⁶Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. ²⁷Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. —Proverbs 4:25-27

It was impending doom! I knew it, but couldn’t stop. My first day on a two-wheeler, I was concentrating completely on the ground ahead of me when I heard my Dad call out, “Look out for the tree!” I jerked my head up and there—straight in front of me—was the tree. Of course, I wanted to not hit the tree so I knew I had to turn the handle bars. But I kept looking at the tree I shouldn’t hit, and my bicycle went where my eyes led! The bike and tree collided and sent me face first into the bark.

I learned something that day, but didn’t really get it until I connected it with what I learned later from baseball. Dad was coaching me on how to hit a ball. From the sidelines he would yell, “Keep your eye on the ball! Keep your eye on the ball.” So I did, and learned how to pop a ball with gusto and accuracy. My big lesson from those early days: If you want to hit something, keep your eyes on it, and don’t lose your focus!

My Dad could have written the first line of our verses for this week. “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze straight before you.” Our Fighter Verse is saying, “Keep your eyes on the ball! Don’t be diverted!” But on what—or on whom—should we set such an unflinching gaze?

The writer of Hebrews says we should run our race, “looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus tells us in John 8:12, “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus is the One we must focus on if He is the One we want to follow.

This walk requires commitment and concentration. What might divert our attention or prevent us from following Him? Certainly all things that are evil…let not lying, nor blasphemous talk, nor filthy joking, nor adultery, nor theft, nor murder, nor cheating, nor gossip be named once among us. We must turn our feet from evil—as well as our eyes, our ears and our hearts. We want to be holy, for our great Lord Jesus is holy.

But swerving to the right and left? What is the author of this passage cautioning us about? Perhaps things that are not sin in themselves could cause us to swerve; perhaps amusements or diversions could steal our affections from spiritual things. There are countless options for play and pleasure available to us in this generation. If we fill our days with them, we risk being not merely diverted, but dissipated. If we set our eyes on them, we may follow them until they capture our attention, our time, our money and our desires. We need to ponder our paths here. Do we spend more money and time on temporal pursuits than we do on our Bible study and memorization, our prayer, or in concerns for missions and mercy to the needy? 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 reminds us, “For the love of Christ controls us…He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.”

The Word instructs us: Keep your eyes on Jesus! Follow hard after Him, and He will make all your paths sure and straight. Fellow believer, choose Christ daily. Ignore the siren songs of pleasure. Let’s spend our time doing the good works He has ordained for us to do and in seeking the face of our God.

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For Reflection

1. What do you do first thing in the morning? Through prayer and Bible reading, seek God’s presence and help with every event, every encounter, every decision that will come to you.

2. Throughout the day, pray for grace to choose activities and relationships that will delight God’s heart and build His kingdom.

3. At the end of each day, give praise to God for His constant help, His abiding love, and His leading.