保守你心—-箴言4:23［你要保守你心, 勝過保守一切, 因為一生的果效, 是從心出發.］一個人的內在核心, 包括思想, 情感, 慾望, 意志和選擇等. 內心反映出一個人的真實內在世界, 使他成為獨一無二的人. 因此撒母耳記上16:7闡明［人是看外貌, 耶和華是看內心.］從神學的角度看, 外貌與內心是兩個對立的概念. 如何保守你的心, 箴言從內在與外在兩方面提出懇切的建議. 從內在而言, 箴言4:20-22［我兒, 要留心聽我的言詞, 側耳聽我的話語. 都不可離你的眼目, 要存在記在你的心中, 因為得著它的, 就得了生命, 又得了醫全體的良藥.] 上述”話語”指天父的話語, 而不是嚴父個人道德的勸諭, 是指嚴父援引神的話語傳授給子女, 使他們透過神的話語能得醫治罪惡的良藥, 得到真正的生命. 這是傳道的基本法門. 從外在而言, 箴言4:25-27［你要除掉邪僻口, 棄絕乖謬的嘴. 你的眼目要向前正看, 你的眼睛當向前直觀. 要修平你腳下的路, 堅定你一切的道. 不可偏向左右, 要使你的腳離開邪惡.］這是行道的基本法門. 當我們學習大學, 中庸, 心學, 知行合一等哲學論述時, 都應以箴言4:20-27為依歸.
Guard your heart – Proverbs 4:23 [Keep your heart above all else, for the results of your life proceed from the heart.] A person’s inner core, including thoughts, emotions, desires, will and choices etc. The heart reflects a person’s true inner world, making him a unique person. Therefore, 1 Samuel 16:7 states that “Man looks at the appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” From a theological perspective, appearance and heart are two different things. Contrary concepts. Proverbs offers earnest advice on how to guard your heart, both internally and externally. Internally, Proverbs 4:20-22 [My son, pay attention to my words, and give ear to my voice. The words should not depart from your eyes, but should remain in your heart, for whoever finds them has life and medicine that heals the whole body.] The above-mentioned “words” refer to the words of the Heavenly Father, not the strict father personally. Moral advice refers to a strict father quoting God’s words and teaching them to his children, so that they can get the medicine to cure their sins and gain real life through God’s words. This is the basic method of preaching. Externally speaking, Proverbs 4:25 -27 [Put away perverse lips and reject perverse lips. Keep your eyes straight ahead, your eyes straight ahead. Make the paths straight for your feet and establish all your ways. Do not turn to the right or left, but keep your feet away from evil.] This is the basic way to practice the Way. When we study philosophical discussions such as the Great University, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Study of the Heart, and the Unity of Knowledge and Action, we should all rely on Proverbs 4:20-27.