Above All Else?

Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life. ~Proverbs 4:23

"Above all else?" That's what the verse says. Does that sound like an overstatement? Well it isn't. Here's why:
What do you care about at this very moment? What motivates you? What are you living for? What is your greatest goal for today?
The answer to this question is your god. If you are living for your career, your career is your god. If you are living for your family, your family is your god. If you are living for the weekend, then leisure is your god. Do you now see why the scripture says "Above all else"? Here is a similar passage that will help illustrate this point:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! ~ Matthew 6:21-23

I find it interesting that after Jesus says the first part "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," he then goes into talking about your eye being the lamp of the body. How is this connected?
Well, I don't think Jesus is necessarily talking about your physical eyes. We all know what it means to have your "sights set on something." It means that you have your heart set on something. So in this way, Jesus is trying to say that what you currently have your "sights set on" will determine if you are full of light, or full of darkness.
So what can we "set our sights" on so that we can be full of light. I will tell you what works for me: God's glory. I love to have God exalted in my life, and the idea of God's light shining out of me is a very exciting and motivating thought. I want people around me to think "Wow, God is awesome."
But as these verses suggest, we must be intentional about this, we must "guard our heart." This morning I woke up a bit anxious some worldly concern. I had to rebuke myself and turn my motivation to the greater gain of God's glory. After dong this it was not long before the worldly anxiety was completely gone. It is good to be "full of light"
Examine yourselves. What is your heart set on?
With the love that flows from Christ,
Charlie