Proverbs 4:23-27 –,Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

King Solomon knew a thing or two! You probably knew that. Even so. there are commentators who look at this passage and give him a little too much credit. They say “look, all those years before William Harvey discovered it, Solomon understood the way blood circulates!” I don’t think so. But he really understood the relationship between character and behavior.
It starts with the heart. The word used for heart doesn’t just refer to the physical organ. Hollady’s Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament also translates it as “mind, character, disposition, inclination, loyalty, concern; determination, courage; morale; intention, purpose; mind, attention, consideration, and understanding”. “Character, disposition and inclination” is what Solomon means here. It’s the same thing Jesus was talking about when He said:
“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:34-35)
It’s the heart that drives the mouth, the eyes and the feet! There are choices to be made. How are you going to live your life?
Solomon calls out two ways in which we can misuse our mouths. It is not fitting for a Christian to be dishonest. Elsewhere in Proverbs we can see “Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.” (Proverbs 12:22 KJVA). Nor should we be guilty of any foul language. Paul nailed that one in his letter to the Ephesians:
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (Ephesians 5:3-4)
It’s the same when it comes to what we look at, read or watch. We need to be like David who said “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes:” (Psalm 101:3)
If we’re careful with our mouths and eyes, chances are we’ll make sure not to go where we shouldn’t. In fact, if we listen to the Holy Spirit “thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”(Isaiah 30:21)
Solomon is providing the basics for a well-conducted life. Everything he says is backed up all through the Bible. Did I say He knew a thing or two?