Proverbs 4
11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
Ask my wife if I have a good sense of direction. She will probably giggle a little before she says no. She’s right. My sense of direction is utter garbage. A couple years ago, we were in Panama and we went to this mall for lunch (God bless the man who invented air conditioning). Not to be crude, but I went to the men’s room while we were waiting for our food. After our meal, as it’s a decently long ride to our destination, I decide that I’ll go again before we leave. It was right around the corner from where we were sitting and I had just been there 30 minutes earlier. I started walking off in the exact wrong direction. She just laughed and pointed me in the right direction. The other folks with us, Billy and Trish and Eloy, didn't know what in the world I was doing. Jamie had to explain that if there's a wrong direction to go, I'll pick that direction. I didn’t tell her that I had to stop and retrace my steps to find the table again. True story. Garbage sense of direction.
Left to our own devices, our spiritual sense of direction is as bad as my physical sense of direction. When I read this verse, I thought about my kids. They need direction. They need to be led in upright paths and directed in the way of wisdom. So do I. I need to stay in the word, to stay in close contact with Jesus, and depend on the Holy Spirit to guide me and direct me so that I can guide my children and those I love that aren’t mature enough or willing to follow where Jesus leads. My kids are young and aren’t mature enough to follow Jesus on their own. That’s ok. I have family members that aren’t interested in Jesus, but I have influence in their lives.
I’m also reminded of Paul’s statement, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Wow. I need to step it up a bit. So, today’s thought is: How is my spiritual sense of direction? Am I following in Jesus footsteps? Am I leading those I love down paths of wisdom, and down upright paths?
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