Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like ethe light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. (Proverbs 4:10-19 ESV).
Everyone in life is walking down one of two paths: the path of wisdom or the path of folly (or foolishness). The path of wisdom leads to life and being blessed by God, while the path of folly leads to sin and death. Within these verses of Proverbs, Solomon will present for us again the two roads set before us. Although we can continue to discuss the benefits of wisdom, ultimately we must choose to begin obeying God, to begin walking down His path.
I know that the ministry I have been called to results in a skewed demographic. In fact, I always begin the first session with an explanation of choices. We always have three, though sometimes one or more of those choices may have been eliminated by the time folks get to me. That eliminated choice is what I have called “stay the same.” I honestly have never had someone sit in front of me and say, “Please, I need help staying the same.” More often than not they come to me out of the frustration that choice has caused in their lives. So, functionally they get to me with a choice between quitting or changing. I am always an advocate of change in these cases.
Even when folks choose to change, the way is not easy. Sometimes it is so difficult that it feels unbearable. Yet that is the path to life. It has been likened to the “road less travelled” because of its difficulty. My encouragement to you is the same as King Solomon… walk in this road of wisdom. Take that first step and experience the life God has won for you in His grace.