Being lost has always terrified me. When I was a child, if my parent got lost on the way somewhere, I’d melt down. When I started driving and got lost myself—especially if I was alone—I’d freak out and cry. Major panic attack.
As a Christian, though, being lost has a different meaning that is much worse. Lost means not on the path that leads to heaven, to Jesus. No matter what the world says, there is only one road that leads to heaven. That’s what Proverbs is all about.
Proverbs repeats the idea that there is the path of the foolish/wicked and there is the path of the wise/righteous. It’s so dark on the foolish path that they don’t even know why they keep falling or what they’re falling over. Not only are they lost but they’re lost in the dark. There’s just enough light from God’s grace and mercy for them to keep going. Most of the time they don’t even know they’re lost. That’s the worst of all, because then they’re not even seeking.
Now that I know The Way, my job is to pray for the lost that I know. Pray that they’ll find The Way. Pray that God uses me to speak truth to them. Pray that my example is free from weeds.
Because…dang, I stray into the weeds a lot. Do you? I don’t get lost anymore, but I stray into the weeds.
The wisdom of Proverbs is meant to be embodied. It is meant to change who we are. It can give us blinders so that when we fix our eyes on Jesus, He is all that we can see.
“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2: 1-5, NIV).
With Love In Christ,
Stephanie