Guard the constructive. Guard against the destructive.

People often think of the past as a less complicated, simpler way of life. Schedules were much less complicated, if they even existed at all. Economy was built on needs and bartering, not wants. Transportation was so simple, and yet difficult, at the same time. Moving around was so difficult that people for the most part simply didn’t travel. Technology as we know it - radio, TV, Internet and iEverything - just didn’t exist.

Almost 3000 years ago King Solomon wrote: Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23 GW) Guard your heart from what? Not TV. Not the News. Not movies, Internet or iThings. None of that existed. So what was a person to guard from ‘more than anything else?’

Solomon was coaching his son to guard his heart from things that are much more rudimentary. He was coaching his son to guard his attitudes and thoughts. Attitudes and thoughts become driving forces in a person’s life. Attitudes and thoughts, over time either become constructive or destructive. They either build a person or they destroy a person. They either build relationships or they destroy relationships.

He was coaching people to guard against greed, lust, bitterness, anger, jealousy, cynicism and criticism. These attitudes become the driving force in life. He was also coaching people to guard integrity, honesty, humility, kindness, forgiveness, and gratefulness. Guard the constructive. Guard against the destructive.

Paul talked about attitudes in what is called ‘The Love Chapter.’ Here are the attitudes he writes about - Love is: kind, patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude, isn't selfish, quick tempered, doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do, love rejoices in the truth, is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. (1 Cor.13:4ff)

What constructive attitude do you need to guard today? What destructive attitude do you need to guard against today?