Proverbs 4:26 - Be Careful What You Choose To Do.

Pro.4:26: Be Careful What You Choose To Do.

Proverbs 4:26 (KJV) Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy 
ways be established.  

Proverbs 4:26 (RSV) Take heed to the path of your feet, then all 
your ways will be sure. 

Proverbs 4:26 (NRSV) Keep straight the path of your feet, and 
all your ways will be sure. 

Proverbs 4:26 (TEV) Plan carefully what you do, and whatever you 
do will turn out right. 

Proverbs 4:26 (GWT) Carefully walk a straight path, and all your 
ways will be secure. 

Proverbs 4:26 (NLT) Mark out a straight path for your feet; then 
stick to the path and stay safe.  

Proverbs 4:26 (ERT) Make sure you are going the right way, and 
nothing will make you fall.  

Proverbs 4:26 (EAV) Consider well the path of your feet, and let 
all your ways be established and ordered aright. 

Proverbs 4:26 (CWR) Think carefully about which direction you're 
going and walk only on solid ground. 

Proverbs 4:26 (TLB) Watch your step. Stick to the path and be 
safe.  

Paying attention to wisdom has lasting benefits, which are 
expressed in these verses (Pro. 2:1-4:27). Each of the benefits is rooted 
in the fact that God Himself "holds victory in store for the 
upright" and "is a shield to those whose walk is blameless" (2:6-7). 
While it is possible to view consequences of a good moral life as a 
natural outcome, Proverbs affirms a supernatural element. God observes 
our choices, and He Himself "guards the course of the just." [The 
365-Day Devotional Commentary] 

4:23-27 Actions tend to follow affections. Our heart--our 
feelings of love and desire--dictates to a great extent how we live 
because we always find time to do what we enjoy. Solomon tells us to 
guard our heart above all else, making sure we concentrate on those 
desires that will keep us on the right path. Make sure your affections 
push you in the right direction. Put boundaries on your desires: 
don't go after everything you see. Look straight ahead, keep your eyes 
fixed on your goal, and don't get sidetracked on detours that lead to 
sin. [Life Application SB] 

Sarah, my 3-year-old great-niece, sat mesmerized, watching the 
graceful glides, spins, jumps, and double and triple axels of figure 
skaters performing on the TV screen. At the end of the show she 
announced, "I know what I want to be when I grow up."  
"What?" her mother asked.
"A figure skater." 
She begged her parents to buy her a pair of skates. Several days 
later, when her parents hadn't complied with her request, she 
announced, "My heart already knows how to skate, but someone has to teach 
my feet."  
Performance of any skill requires instruction, practice, and 
more practice. One doesn't learn to read by sitting in a library. 
Knowing the tune to a melody doesn't mean one can play it on an 
instrument. Parallel parking isn't perfected without practice. Having a set 
of carpenter tools and blueprints doesn't make one a professional 
builder. Reading a book on gardening doesn't make one a gardener without 
putting into practice the information given. 
Sarah's comment made me think about my Christian experience. Are 
my skates sharpened and clad on my feet, pirouetting over the ice 
to improve my performances? My heart knows right from wrong, the 
way I should go, but are my feet following the path that leads to 
eternal life? Do my words and actions show what my heart knows? 
It's not enough to know the benefits of physical exercise and 
healthful eating habits. I must care for my body as the temple of God. 
It's not enough to know about the power of prayer. I must make daily 
communion with God a part of my life. 
It's not enough to know Bible doctrines. The story of the rich 
young ruler illustrates the folly of thinking a knowledge of God's 
Word is sufficient to make us candidates for heaven. We need to 
practice its precepts. 
Dear Lord, please help me to let my heart direct my feet to 
serve You and humanity. Help me to practice what I profess. --Edith 
Fitch http://www.adventist.org/devotionals/