Proverbs 4:25-27; Eyes on the Goal

Proverbs 4:25-27  "Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil." (NASB)

I used to take swimming lessons and I remember how much I struggled with them.  My teacher would never be satisfied with my progress - there was always something more, some greater achievement which I was suddenly expected to achieve.  Just because I knew the front stroke, the side stroke, the breast stroke, the back stroke did not mean that I was a swimmer.  Swimming was much more than that! I had to know where I was going, I had to know my goal.

I ran track for a year back during highschool.  Just because I could run and run fast did not necessitate me winning (or gathering any other awards for that matter). I had to also be able to follow directions. I had to understand my field, my terrain, the surface that I was running on.  Was it dirt, grass, cement, or ground-up rubber? What was the bend of the track? How did I maintain balance? How far could I turn on my ankle? How much of a stride should I take?

I remember hiking one night during a fog.  I could not see the way ahead of me and all that I had was a flashlight and a woodland path.  I was unable to see more than a few mere feet in front of me. The sides of this woodland path were so filled with grass and bushes that I had to stay in the middle of the path - If I moved to the side of the path, I might tear my clothes, yet if I remained in the center, I could trip over a rock, a can, a ditch.

During college, I was a student janitor. One of my tasks was to clean and vacuum the hallways. I ran a large vacuum cleaner which was much more akin to a lawnmower than a vacuum.  I had to walk in a straight line and move the vacuum the correct way with the grain of the carpet. If I did not, then the carpet itself stopped the vacuum. The carpet grain blocked the passage of the vacuum brushes and then everything needed to be smoothed out and time taken to "repair the damage". Sometimes I had to pull the vacuum as well.  I also had to pull it in a straight line. If I looked behind me as I pulled I would get off course, but if I did not look behind me I could have run into something or someone.

All of these are similar, they all require something in common.  Swimming, track, hiking, and cleaning hallways all required that I maintain my eyes on the goal.  When you are swimming, you look forward and you see the precise spot you are aiming for, you see the point your hand will touch and you will turn to return to the starting line.  When running, your goal is the clock. You must try to beat your last time, try to run faster than the guy next to you.  To accomplish this you need to understand the conditions that surround you. You need  to study and learn the best ways to maneuver through whatever obstacles might be placed in your path such as "are the hurdles 1” taller than the ones you practiced on? Are they 1” shorter? How will this affect your speed." When hiking, you need to remember the goal at the end, and you need to trust that the person ahead of you will warn you when something is coming, when there is an obstacle. All you can see is the path in front of you while the rest of the trail is closed to your sight. You must trust that the forestry service maintains it and keeps it clear of all obstacles.  When cleaning you learned the hallways. You find out how many steps it takes to get from one end to the other and where the obstacles are such as the doors that swing out, the trashcans, or the people. You have to hear and listen to things and then react accordingly. You have to know the path well (either you do, or someone else does). Most importantly you must focus on one point - choose a point on the wall such as a leaf on a plant or a painting. Focus there and walk backwards pulling the vacuum. As long as your eyes stay on your point, on your goal, you will be moving in a straight line.

The way to eternal life is straight and narrow.  You cannot turn to the left or the right, but must stay looking towards God, towards Heaven. Focus on your goal, to be Righteous, to be Godly, to be Holy, to Serve God, and trust that He is there. Although you cannot see up the path, although you do not know the way. You have a map, you have a leader, a teacher, a mentor, a signpost. Remember to focus on your goal. Set your eyes on Christ and you will stay on track. If you remove your eyes from your point, then you will get off track. I had to restart vacuuming several times because I shifted my focus off point and ended up stalling the vacuum against the grain. Sometimes what would remove my focus was a friend who walks by, my boss who called on the radio, or a classmate needing help. All those things are good things, but if I remove my eyes from the goal then I loose my track and I need to regain my position and retrain my eyes upon my goal. If I removed my eyes from my goal then I didn't really know what is going on. If I stop listening then I would not hear the door behind me open, the person walking from the racquetball court who stepped into my path, or the tour guide showing a group of preview students around who also walked backwards.

I must focus on the goal. I must know my surroundings and what I might go through. I must learn and be able to relearn. I must know that I can get off track and what I should do to get back on track.  I must focus on Christ. Do we focus on Christ or do we focus on what we are told is right? Do we focus on God’s word, or do we instead move our focus to something else. If all we ever read are the views of others on God, and do not read God’s word for ourselves, do we truly know God? Do we truly know Christ?  Is Christ our Goal?