come, or as the proverb aptly calls it, “the wellspring of life.” In other words, actions first find their roots within the depths of the heart. For even Jesus said in Matthew 12:34 that it is “out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks.” Therefore, to “guard the heart” is to protect one’s life from unhealthy influences that can easily corrupt our character. Applied to our world today, this might include things like pornography, gambling, or the abuse of alcohol. It may even cause us