Straight Paths – Proverbs 3:5-8

Not that you need any help memorizing this verse, but I came across a fun little song/video that will blaze it in your mind, and, please, you surely won’t take it as advocating standing up on a roller coaster. Has God ever led you into anything that scared you, but then it turned out to be the best thing you could have done?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8, ESV)

Wisdom is not ashamed to offer us a carrot. Do we want to have “straight paths”, paths that do not have so many bumps and potholes and inclines and twists and turns? Do we want our bodies and souls to be healthy and refreshed? Wisdom offers us these benefits if we:

Put our trust in Yahweh and His direction for our lives instead of depending on our own way of navigating life. That means that if He says we ought to observe Sabbath in some way, we do it, even though it seems more reasonable to keep working all the time if we want smoother paths. That means refusing to give in to any sexual temptations we face and stay within God’s given boundaries for sexual fulfillment. That means not yielding to flattery from anyone and believing that we are the source of all our greatness. Etc., etc.
Refuse to be wise in our own eyes and instead turn from evil. Sin will crouch at our door and seek to relentlessly wear us down if we give it some space there. It’s like putting out food for a stray. We find ways of feeding evil and letting it hang around as a possibility, a security blanket if we need to go to it. We must decisively rid ourselves of such temptation. Jesus called it cutting out our offending eye or lopping off our offending hand.

Acknowledge Him, acknowledge Him, acknowledge Him! That means getting out of ourselves and into the bigger reality. God is the Sovereign of our lives, not us.

About the Author Randall Johnson

A full-time pastor since 1979, Randall originally graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) in 1979 and from Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin) in 1998. He is married with four grown children and a pile of epic grandchildren.

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