Skeleton key: Above all else, do this
Imagine this scene with me:
After recognizing and solving the cypher contained within the structure of the first two letters, you have traveled to an old church located in Jerusalem. The crowds are light this time of year, so you have plenty of room to casually wander through the church’s public spaces as you look for clues about the Book of Life.
After a while, a young priest comes up to you, asking if you have any questions or need any help. You strike up a conversation with him, gently probing for details about the church history and the various historical artifacts that have been associated with the building. He happily shares what he knows – while some parts of his telling sounds like a fact sheet that he must have been required to memorize, you can also tell that he knows some of the more intimate details about the church’s history. Before telling those parts of the stories, he would first quickly look around and then begin to speak in a hushed tone.
As he was feeding off your interest in his stories, you ask if he’s ever heard of a manuscript called the Book of Life. He doesn’t recall that name specifically. Your conversation continues and then begins to wrap up with no new information coming your way. Based on the cypher, you’re certain that you are in the right place, so you decide to take a risk and show him the two letters from “A. Danling”.
His eyes open wide as he reads the letters and you describe the hidden cypher that led you to his church. “Do you have any other information, any other clues?” he excitedly asks.
“Just what I have been told is the ‘skeleton key’ and one more letter,” you reply. By now you can quote the skeleton key by memory: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. You open up the last letter and read it with him:
My son,
Pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings.
Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body.
Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.
Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.
Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.
As with the others, this letter is signed by “A. Danling”, but it is much shorter than the other two, and was written with a different layout structure.
“Well, it’s obvious that Danling’s focus is the heart, since he says ‘above all else’ and mentions the heart twice” the young priest observes. “Let’s look around and see if we can find something here that matches the letter.”
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The young priest is correct – the words above all else should catch our attention. Solomon wouldn’t flippantly write a phrase like that. For the wisest man the world has ever known (outside of Jesus, of course), this piece of guidance is the top priority, the best advice he could give.
The ancient Israelites considered the heart to be representative of one’s “inner person”, including your mind, your will, and your conscience…it was viewed as the seat of your appetites as well as the seat of emotions, passions, and courage.
Above all else…Solomon says to guard your heart. If your heart represents who you truly are, then by all means it needs to be protected! No wonder Solomon says that it is the source of life. If your heart is corrupted, then, by extension, your identity is also corrupted. But how does Solomon say that we should stand guard, what can we do to protect it?
This is where looking at the context is helpful. Listed above is Proverbs 4:20-27, and look how Solomon begins this section:
My son,
Pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings.
Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
For they are life to those who find them, and health to one’s whole body.
The way to guard our heart is to be careful with what words we keep in there. According to Solomon, the words and sayings you keep in your heart are highly influential and can set the course of your life.
Whose words do you allow to live in your heart?
Do you dwell on the callous things that “he” said to you?
Do you mull over the time “she” insulted you?
Or do you pay attention to words from those who build you up?
Solomon is reminding his son that his words are beneficial, that his sayings are trustworthy. Let’s look at those verses again:
My son,
Pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings.
Don’t lose sight of [my words]; keep [my sayings] within your heart.
For [my words] are life to those who find them, and [my sayings are] health to one’s whole body.
The right words at the right time are powerful and can change the course of a life. Encouragement and empathy are two of the greatest gifts we can give each other. Wise and supportive words lift moods, brighten spirits, and brings strength to the listener.
With a heart full of wisdom and encouragement, then you can skillfully navigate the course of your life. Then you’ll be prepared to carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.
Because of the influence of words in our life…our heart needs protection, it is worth being guarded.
So, I ask again – Whose words do you allow to live in your heart?
Keep Pressing,
Ken