Yogi Berra is famous for his many sayings, one of which was, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
In Proverbs 4 we are told we will come to forks in roads, and we are told to keep going straight!
In fact, that is how chapter 4 ends with verse 27: “Do not swerve to the right or to the left”.
Great advice, but you might ask HOW?
Proverbs tells us.
Consider this exercise, read from verse 27 backwards.
In verse 27 we are told to keep going straight. You ask how?
In verse 26 we are told by thinking first about where we put our feet. But there is more.
In verse 25 we are told to keep looking straight. In other words, keep your mind focused on the straight path. But there is still more.
In verse 24 we are told it is not just what we think, but what we say. And all of that flows from…
In verse 23, our hearts.
You might be thinking we are covering old ground, and we are only in chapter 4. In part this is true, but Proverbs is about to get very specific. Before it does, chapter 4 is in one way a final plea.
I am struck by the passion of this plea. Consider verses 4b-6:
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
5 Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;
love her, and she will guard you.
Evocative words.
I was going through and underling the words that describe my actions—words such as holding fast, keeping, not forgetting, not forsaking, and loving.
The message is clear: keeping my path straight takes focus—and when I stay focused there is real benefit.
I will live and Wisdom will guard and keep me. Verses 6-13 describe many of those benefits.
Today there really are TWO challenges with staying on the “straight and narrow”.
The first is knowing the right way—I used to think this was easy. Today however, our society and our culture press forth new norms. Knowing which of these “new norms” is in accordance with God’s Word is critical. Verses 1 – 10 emphasize this over and over.
The second is actually behaving the right way—a challenge. Which is perhaps why Proverbs will also over and over point out the choice we have regarding the paths we walk—and the consequences which follow. Verses 11 – 20 make these points with vivid imagery.
Which of these two challenges is more difficult for you? Might you ask your Father for help?