Protection through wisdom

Proverbs 4:19-24

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 
Verse 19 reveals to us the truth of the wicked man’s way. The wicked man lives as if he is in total control of his life but the text pulls back the coverings of his life and shines a light on his reality. 
stumble = to cause to stumble, bring injury or ruin to, overthrow 1c2) to make feeble, make weak 
The wicked man is living a life of calamity and eventual destruction. They live in this world’s grasp without really knowing the true joy of Jesus. 
Verses 20-22 implores us to retain, remember, or to never forget the words of wisdom. Just as the darkness brings destruction to the wicked man, wisdom brings life. 

Verse 20
Attend = be attentive, hearken, pay attention
Incline =  to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, incline, bend, bow, to turn aside
These are words expressing the necessity for hearing and retaining wisdom… 
Here in verse 23 we are instructed to fortify our lives with wisdom. 
Keep = to guard, to blockade, preserve, garrison
Diligence = place of confinement, prison, guard, jail, guard post, watch, observance 1a) jail, prison, guard-house 1b) guard, guard post, act of guarding

We are instructed here to guard thy heart… this has a very practical meaning. when we hear wisdom we should then keep it, or guard it. In simple terms it means to do what ever necessary that so that wisdom can guide your life. 
This will not be an uncontended task… the world will attempt to counterfeit and deceive you to think there is a better way or a new way. Younger generations are more easily persuaded in change. This is why it is so important to know your Bible… It is absolute truth. 

Keep thy heart with all DILIGENCE… when you get truth and wisdom lock it away so the world can never dilute the truth you live by, 
Vinegar straight out of the bottle can be very difficult to drink but when you add water and honey you can tolerate it… that is exactly what the world is attempting to do… add a little here and a litter there… to make you think God’s Word is impossible to live by unless you add a little of the world’s excitement to it.. or add a little of the world’s tolerance there… the world is attempting to dilute God’s Word.. 
The word diligence has the meaning of locking away or put in prison. When in prison a person has no influence from the outside world. That is the very idea… Don’t allow the world to have an influence in your life.