Sermon “Drinking From the Wellspring of Life”
Scripture Lesson: Proverbs 4:20-23 “My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.”
Introduction: Drinking from the wellspring of life sounds so magical, but the writer of Proverbs makes the idea practical. "Wellspring of life" refers to the heart, not the blood pump, but the center source of a person's actions, thoughts, and emotions. Everything flows from the inner self. It is a metaphor for an inexhaustible source from which vitality, purpose, and actions spring forth, particularly in a spiritual context where the heart is seen as the core of one's being that must be guarded.
Proverbs 4:20-23 is a passage that teaches how to live a wise and prosperous life by focusing on God's word and protecting one's heart. The verses instruct the reader to "attend to my words" and "incline your ear," meaning to give them full attention, internalize them and live by them. These actions lead to real wisdom. The kind of wisdom that gives "life to those who find it" and brings "healing to all his flesh". The central message is to "guard your heart with all vigilance" because it is the source of life.
Since we are faced with barrage of information, some accurate and some inaccurate, some beneficial and some dangerous, all competing for a place in the heart, your heart needs to be guarded. Then every heart must be protected for pride and a haughty spirit which are always present. Those seeking to drink from the wellspring of life must strive to walk in humility. Proverbs consistently links humility with wisdom and honor, while contrasting it with pride, which leads to disgrace. Humility comes before honor, yet those with a humble spirit will gain honor. Humility is associated with the fear of the Lord, which leads to the path of riches, honor, and life.
Proverbs 11:2 reads: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom." This verse presents a direct trade-off: humility leads to wisdom, while pride leads to disgrace.
Proverbs 18:12: "Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but before honor comes humility."
Proverbs 22:4: "Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life."
Proverbs 29:23: "Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor." For all the things we must guard our hearts against, pride seems to be ever present and the most dangerous. This reinforces the idea that humility is both a root and a fruit of wisdom, while self-exaltation leads to being brought low.
There are biblical examples of persons who failed to guard their heart whose lives were ruined by envy, jealousy, and pride. Remember Cain, who knew God’s word and will, yet he murdered his brother Abel out of envy for God's favor. Think about King Saul who knew God’s word and will, yet he envied David's success and attempted to kill him. Think about Jacob, who was tricked into marrying Leah. Leah’s marriage was less than ideal, yet God blessed her with children that became a source of jealousy for her sister Rachel. King Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon and Lucifer, the fallen arch angel are classic examples of pride leading to a downfall. On several occasion, Jesus cautioned his disciples about having a servant’s heart, instead of seeking positions of authority. Matthew 20:28, Jesus describes himself as a servant, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The disciples argued about who would be considered the greatest, but Jesus redefined greatness in the Kingdom as the person who served the most. The proverb teaches that if one would drink from the wellspring of life they must give full attention to these instructions.
1. Give full attention to the Word of God. The passage begins with an instruction to give complete attention to the words of wisdom. This means more than just hearing; it requires active listening and making them a central focus of your thoughts. James 1:22, reaffirms this truth when t states, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Then Apostle Paul in 2Timothy 3:7, says some are "ever learning but never coming to the truth." Paul describes people who are constantly seeking information and new teachings but lack the ability to understand or internalize the truth. This can be because they don't apply what they learn, or they are influenced by other factors, such as their own desires or false teachers, preventing them from grasping the truth. Those desiring to drink from the wellspring of life must Give full attention to the Word by being hearer and doers of the word.
2. Internalize the wisdom principles in your talk and walk. To "internalize the wisdom principles in your talk and walk" means to deeply integrate wisdom into your life so that your actions and words are consistent with your values. It involves not just understanding wisdom intellectually, but allowing it to transform your heart and mind, which then naturally influences your speech and behavior. This requires intentional practice like prayer, meditation on wisdom teachings, and applying those principles in daily life.
In your talk, speak with wisdom. Allow your conversation to be seasoned with salt, be thoughtful, kind, and rooted in the wisdom principles you've internalized. Align your actions with your values. Let what you talk about reflect what you believe in. Let your words be full of grace. Your speech should be "seasoned with salt," meaning it should be respectful, insightful, and appropriate for the situation, not simply empty or boastful. You are to keep these sayings in your sight and "in the midst of your heart" to fully absorb them. The wisdom is a "wellspring of life" and "healing" that should be continuously considered.
3. Guard your heart: The final and most critical command is to guard your heart with all vigilance. The heart is the core from which "the springs of life" flow, so it's crucial to protect it from negative influences, worldly opinions, and ungodly thoughts.
The heart and what you allow in and out will determines your life. The reason for guarding your heart is that its condition "determines the course of your life". What you let into your heart will shape your thoughts, actions, and overall direction.
Proverbs is a book about the importance of wisdom, how to live in a wise manner, and how to view the world through the lens of wisdom. The proverbs are not promises; proverbs don’t work like that. Instead, they are descriptions of the way life generally works in the way God has set it. They are principles for living wisely. And there are a lot of them. There are proverbs about work, money, time, parenting, and a host of other subjects. And in Proverbs 4, in the midst of all the other proverbs, we find today’s scripture reference: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). Above all else…
That is, if you don’t listen to anything else or if you aren’t paying that much attention. But if you only hear one thing, hear this – Guard your heart. And why does this action take such precedence? The proverb continues and tells us it’s because everything flows from the heart. Our actions? Our speech? The way we interact with others? Our relationship with the Lord? Yes. These all find their source in the heart. But how exactly do we guard our hearts?
Here are 3 suggestions: First, We guard our hearts by examining our intake. If we think the things we are exposed to in our environment have no effect on us, then we are very foolish indeed. If we are constantly taking in cynicism, fear, anger, profanity in all its forms, or other destructive things, it is inevitable that we will be affected. If, then, we are serious about guarding our hearts, we should take a hard look at what we are voluntarily exposing ourselves to.
Secondly, We guard our hearts by checking our investments. There are many investments that will disappoint us in this life. Disappointment is inevitable. Countless times and in countless ways, we will find ourselves with unmet expectations. But while that is inevitable, it’s also a chance for us to recognize that many times our disappointment runs so deeply because we are too heavily invested in that particular opportunity or conversation or even that relationship. It’s not wrong to look forward or hope for some kind of change in life; it is wrong, however, to place the full weight of our joy and satisfaction on anything other than Jesus. To place the full weight of your joy and satisfaction on people you have helped, people you expected to help you or speak up for you may leave you disappointed. First, We guard our hearts by examining our intake, what you allow in your heart; second, We guard our hearts by checking our investments and our expectation of people, places and thinking. Finally, we guard our hearts by checking our identity.
Finally, we guard our hearts by checking our identity. As human beings, we have the tendency to tie the core of our self-worth, validation, and personhood to things, titles, possessions and wealth. These become the ways by which we define ourselves, but most of those things go away. When they do, it can feel as if we are floating aimlessly on the sea with no anchor. Who are we really?
As Christians, the question has been answered once and for all. Regardless of what else changes in our circumstances, the answer remains that we are, at the core, children of God. He is our true source of security, our true source of validation. People’s opinions about you may change. Friends may forget about you and the sacrifices you make for them. Your serve may be overlooked, and you might end up being ignored, but none of those things can change who you are. You are a child of God. He is your true source of security, your true source of validation. Yet when you are devalued, overlooked or underappreciated, Guard your heart.
It is from our hearts that everything else flows. So let us protect our hearts. Actively. Keeping out bitterness, envy, strife, anger and frustration that can hinder the wellspring of life. "Guard your heart" in Proverbs 4, means to protect your inner self because it is the source of your thoughts, attitudes, and actions. This involves being diligent about what you let into your life, including your conversations, thoughts, and what you focus on visually, because these things will flow out and influence everything you do.
Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart": This instruction emphasizes the supreme importance of protecting your inner being. "For everything you do flows from it": This explains why it's so critical. The "heart" is understood as the core of your being, the "wellspring of life" from which all actions, words, and motivations originate. So, be mindful of your thoughts and attitudes. Guarding your heart involves taking control over your thoughts and emotions, especially in challenging situations like hurt or disappointment. Taking control over your speech. The Bible connects guarding your heart to controlling your tongue, advising to "Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips".
Taking control over where you look and how long you gaze. It also means being intentional with your gaze, as the text advises to "Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you." Guarding your heart is not about shutting yourself off from others. The goal isn't to become a person who locks their heart down emotionally, but to be a person who protect their heart by being mindful and intentionally giving it to God. It is about balance. It involves balancing your mind and heart, not shutting down your heart, but rather allowing God to speak to you through it while still being careful about what you allow in. Listen to the words of our text again,
Proverbs 4:20-23 “My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” Amen. Amen.
