The Way of the Wise - Proverbs
6 - The Fixed Gaze
Proverbs 4:25 says, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.” That is the theme of Proverbs Chapter 4. It is essential to be watchful; we need to be careful; we need to be on our guard. We are to guard our heart and our mouth and our feet. But verse 25 is all about the eyes. The eyes take in darkness and light. The eyes look out on many things; things such as darkness, sin and folly. They also see the light, good things and true things.
The Bible teaches us that people who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ are spiritually blind. They see things around them, but they don’t see the unseen spiritual realities. They are in the darkness of sin. The darkness of sin is a great darkness. This has nothing to do with the intellect, it is a spiritual condition. How many people do you know who have never found real purpose in life or a real meaning for their existence. A great British preacher called Spurgeon once said, “Time is but the doorstep of eternity.” So here is a wise message for the aimless, for the spiritually lost, for those who are not looking where they should be looking. Here is the Bible’s way, the right way, the true way, the best way for life.
In Britain there are certain roads that are called a ‘clear way’. You are not allowed to park your car on a ‘clear way’. It is not a side road; it is not a dead end and it is not a little winding lane. It is a good road and it is going somewhere definite. God’s planned way for life is a clear way that leads somewhere. The way of the godless and of those who do not place their faith in Christ is a hard way that leads to eternal loss. It is a very confused way, and its end is not good. It is a very tragic road. It is often the way of superstition and false hope. God’s way is best; it is the way He has made for us. Jesus said “I am the way” (John 14:6). The way to God is through Him and with Him. The way of eternal life is in Him and only in Him.
Proverbs 4:25 tells us to “fix your gaze directly before you”. In other words do not be distracted, but fix your attention on what really matters in life. In the New Testament Book of Hebrews, and chapter 12 we are told to look to Christ alone who is the author and the perfecter of faith. He is the wisdom of God and He alone can lead us in the right path.
So there are four things that we should be determined to do and they all relate to a gaze fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. The first one is be determined to seek Christ. If your life has no direction, no hope, then you need Him above all else. Maybe you don’t realise just how much you need Him. You need to accept Him and to trust Him and to believe in Him.
You may say to me, “I wish I had your faith”. But my faith is no use to you; you need my Saviour for yourself. The faith to believe is a gift from God Himself to all who will ask Him. This is how the apostle Paul puts it in his letter to the Ephesians: “For it is by God’s grace you have been saved, through faith (in Christ) - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8). If you would just look and gaze at the crucified, risen Lord Jesus Christ, think about His invitation to you, His promises, His assurances, His personal guarantees, you will begin to understand. When you trust Christ as your Saviour, your spiritual eyes will be opened. So be determined to seek Christ; to fix your eyes on Him and no one else for your salvation. If you know that you are not a Christian you need to obey the Gospel. God calls us all to repent thoroughly. An old writer once said “’till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet”. We need to see sin for what it really is - an offence against God. Christ calls you to come to Him in simple faith for everlasting forgiveness.
Secondly be determined to know Christ; this should be the whole essence of your life when you become a Christian believer. Fixing your gaze on the way ahead means that you have a goal to aim at. The Apostle Paul said “that I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10) - that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had been a Christian convert for many years, and he is speaking of the love of God that surpasses knowledge. He wants to know more of this love, more of this wonderful Saviour for whom he has gladly suffered the loss of everything. His eyes look straight ahead, his gaze is fixed before him. Christian friend, how much do you really know of Christ? Do you diligently study his word? Do you wait humbly upon Him in prayer every day? Other people have their pursuits and their passions, this should be ours. We need a fixed gaze, a determination to seek Christ for salvation first of all; then a determination to know Christ better day by day.
Then the third thing we need is a determination to obey Christ. Is there something He has commanded you to do? The Lord Jesus said to his disciples “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). To keep your eyes fixed on the way ahead you must know the way to go. To ensure that you are not distracted by the world around you must keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. This is why we have the Scriptures to guide us and to teach us about our Saviour. Fourthly, we must be determined to glorify Christ. Yes, what you do is important, but what you are is more important. Sometimes we see beautiful flowers, but they turn out to be artificial, they are not real. God wants us to be real; He wants us to be holy; He wants us to be Christ-like. He who wept for lost souls wants us to have very compassionate hearts. You and I preach a sermon every day by the way we live. We don’t know who is watching and we don’t always know who is listening, but our lives speak powerfully. Do you have a fixed gaze? Are you determined to seek Christ, to know Christ, to obey Him and to glorify Him?