Proverbs 23:26
“My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.”
What does Proverbs 23:26 mean?
A parent here is asking their child for something deeper than obedience: genuine devotion and attention. When someone asks for your heart, they're asking you to care about what they care about, to let their values shape how you see the world. The second part explains what that looks like in practice, your eyes keeping watch on their ways means you're actually paying attention to how they live and think, not just following rules out of duty. This resonates whether you're reading it as a parent speaking to a child, or as wisdom calling us toward a way of life worth pursuing. The invitation is to let something or someone you respect become central to how you navigate the world, not as a burden but as something you've chosen to center yourself around.