The goal of reaching wisdom is not enough, we are instructed to hold and maintain it, to know it and practice it. There are so many things in this world that can distract and lead us astray, sending us head-long down an erroneous road. We must guard our hearts and minds, our thoughts and speech against dishonesty and deviousness. For what we hold in our hearts and our minds dictates how we behave and how we live our lives.

Our actions spring from our beliefs, our convictions and inner drives. Wise action is a result of clear thought, and clear thought, which is vital to living wisely, comes from God. Solomon counsels us to seek God first, and with his Holy Spirit filling our hearts, to keep our eyes trained on the goal, which is seeking truth, following God’s path, and keeping his ordinances. This is how we can survey the land in which we live and choose the prudent path for our feet to follow. This is how we “live long and prosper,” how we are delivered from evil.

~SLM