Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Prov 4:27 (NLT)
“Not all who wander are lost…” Tolkien writes… but sometimes we get lost when we wander in the wrong direction. We’re all on a journey. We started off in one place, we’re moving forward to another, and from there we will go again. God created us all on purpose and for a purpose – each of us with a different journey and path to walk down all the while experiencing the many wonders and facets of Jesus along the way.
During the journey that we’re all on, many opportunities present themselves for us to go down different roads and paths. Some are meant for us, others are to be avoided at all costs. Proverbs urges us to keep our feet from the path that follows evil, one that sidetracks us from our journey. The diversion might not far off the path at first, but the further you travel down hidden roads, the further away from the main journey you become.
The Evil its talking about here isn’t just the obvious pure outrageous terrible evil… It's anything that opposes good. Fear, offence, bitterness, un-forgiveness, hatred, cheating, greed, pride… all of these things and more can grab the attention of our feet and lead us down a dark and rocky trail.
Prov 4:25-26 tells us to “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.”
Avoid dark paths by looking straight ahead. Keep your eyes on Jesus and the path he has lead you down. If you ever come to a crossroads and you’re not sure what path to take… just wait, don’t make hasty decisions… pray… listen… He will lead you.
If you do find yourself down the road of destruction, there is always HOPE in Jesus. It is never too late to turn around. Ps 40:2 says “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”
Don’t get sidetracked. Keep your eyes on Jesus, Keep your feet in line with your heart, and journey through this life with His Grace and goodness alongside you. Wander in the right direction all you like.
