March 23 – Proverbs 2:20-22
So—join the company of good men and women, keep your feet on the tried-and-true paths. It’s the men who walk straight who will settle this land, the women with integrity who will last here. The corrupt will lose their lives; the dishonest will be gone for good.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, I read “The Three Little Bears” to my almost-two-year-old niece, Zola. You know the story… Momma Bear makes porridge for herself, Poppa Bear and Baby Bear, and while it cools, they take a walk. A little girl named Goldilocks comes along while out for a walk in the woods. She knocks on the door, and when no one answers… she goes right in and helps herself to food, seating, and a bed for a nap! She even breaks Baby Bear’s chair when she sits in it.
When the bears return, they discover the intruder. Goldilocks wakes up, sees the bears, lets out a yell and runs out of the house… and the story says she was gone for good, because she never went for a walk in the woods again.
Clearly, nobody explained integrity to Goldilocks! She thought nothing of entering someone else’s home, eating their food, sitting in their chairs, or sleeping in their beds. And a lot of us are very much like her! We do what we please… when we please… and take whatever we want as if we are entitled. We say things we shouldn’t. We step off the “straight-and-narrow path” and dance to the beat of our own drummer… or that of the devil himself. And ultimately, our dishonesty and brazenness catch up with us, and we are “gone for good.” Nobody wants anything to do with us… and who could blame them?!
Too many of us have our sights fixed on instant gratification… a “what’s-in-it-for-me-now” mentality. We need to focus on the things of God… His will for our lives and what He wants us to accomplish in His name for the long haul. We need to think more about eternity and how we get there than on a temporary gratification… a warm bowl of porridge, a chair and a comfortable bed, so to speak!
What about you? Are you sticking to a path that leads to lasting rewards and eternity with Jesus… or are you living as if you are on a walk through the woods – hoping to find momentary pleasure in the things of this world? Are you treating others with respect and dignity… do you value their property and their feelings? Have you asked God to show you the path you should take in order to fulfill His purpose for your life? Have you prayed for moral character and integrity… have you asked God to reveal His plan for your life? Isn’t today a great day to do all of this?
Even if you started down another path, there is still time to turn back and regroup. You don’t have to be like Goldilocks and never take a walk in the woods again. You just have to stay on the right trail and let God lead the way. Who is guiding your steps these days? Whose path are you following… and where are you ultimately headed?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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