Walking with the Wise #173: Wrong Way

“There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.”
—Proverbs 14:12

There are so many things in life vying for our attention—philosophies, worldviews, ways of life, pursuits, passions, hobbies, and habits, that it takes quite a while for us to find our way. We look to those around us to see what they value, and try and conduct our lives in a similar fashion. Whether it is our family, friends, or the dreams and aspirations that are trumpeted in our culture, we do what seems best and, often, what we believe will bring us the most joy. But worldly pursuits, no matter what they are, can never and will never satisfy the longings of our heart. All who have followed them know where the end is, but don’t know how to break free from its entrenched grip.

By the Son of God’s death on the cross, we have been set free from the power of sin. No longer do we have to pursue its futile and vile deviancies. Ours is the task of pursuing a better way, a way that is higher, the way of God. Jesus didn’t call Himself “a” way, but “the” way for us to get to God (cf. John 14:6). Our life is one of totality in submission under the banner of His supremacy. Pursuing Jesus is not a cursory endeavor. It cannot be relegated to a secondary or tertiary level of importance. It is, and must be, one that is primary, the highest and greatest priority of our lives—the highest ideal, the loftiest notion, the greatest thought, and the mightiest action God has done on man’s behalf. Jesus is the personification of, means by, and root of, life itself.

Any way that man chooses to live, if bereft of God’s Spirit, may appear to be the right way to live, because it is the way that gives the greatest joy, but it is not true joy. True joy comes from Christ, because He is the source of God’s joy. Man may choose to live any way He wishes. He may choose to leave God in the dust, to shake His fist at God, or totally ignore Him by surrounding himself with earthly pleasures and pursuits, but the end is always the same—death. The only way that is right is the way of Christ; only in Him can we have life, because He is and contains within Him—life.

Which way are you living? Have you been seduced by the ways of the world, deceiving yourself into believing that your way is right? Know that death can’t be stopped, and it’s the great leveling of all worldly pursuits. Only in Christ can we have life and have it to the full (cf. John 10:10). Run to Christ, repent of your sin, and then let Him direct your life in such a way that you give Him glory and He, in turn, gives you abundant, full, and lasting joy. Amen.