Focal passage: Proverbs 14:8-15
It happens every time. Even after all these years of marriage, every road trip has that moment where we are rapidly approaching a fork in the road, and I, mind numbed after hours of driving with crying children in the back seat, cannot remember which exit I’m supposed to take. The usual arrangement is that I’m not allowed to touch any electronic devices while driving so if there is a navigational question, my wife must find the answer. This fork in the road always brings about a panic trying to load an app and determine whether we need to get across four lanes of traffic to make an exit. We should have learned by now, but we haven’t.
It’s important to know which way you’re going, and it’s important to be going the right way. One of the foundational qualities of a wise person is that they consider their way. They are not content to simply “go with the flow” without deeper analysis.
It can be quite the challenge to choose the difficulty of the narrow path when it seems like those taking the multi-lane highway are enjoying all pleasures while you’re missing out.
Mercifully, Proverbs reminds us that we don’t actually know what’s going on in the heart of another. All we can see is the outward appearance, and that can often be deceiving. In our age of perfectly-curated social media personas, we are constantly bombarded by what appear to be pain-free lives. Yet, the wisdom of Proverbs reminds us not to base our choices on such vanity. Instead, following Jesus will lead us to true and lasting joy.