Move Along

We face decisions every day.  Some decisions are simple:  paper or plastic?  Hotdog or hamburger?  Coffee or tea?  Decisions are a part of just about everything we do.  Some decisions can be fun;  I love choosing different hairstyles:  brown or blonde?  To cut it or to grow it out?  It makes life interesting, and those decisions aren't necessarily life altering;  they're just a matter of preference, and many times, just a matter of what kind of mood I happen to be in that day. 
Some decisions are slightly harder:  do I stay in this relationship or not?  Do I change jobs?  Move?  Things like that... 
Then there are the decisions that if not carefully made can lead you down paths you really don't want to go down.  These are the decisions between right and wrong, good and evil, wisdom and foolishness.  When I put it like that, you might say, "well those would be easy...I pick right, good, and wisdom...duhhh..."  I wish it was that easy;  I wish right, good, and wise choices were always easily recognizable and simple to follow.  The thing is, sometimes they're not;  sometimes my human, worldly nature tells me to make myself happy, or to pay back someone for a wrong done to me, or to follow someone else's lead just because it's the "cool" and accepted way of doing it.  Decisions like these are hard, but critical. 

I've been reading Proverbs 4 today;  if you want to learn about making wise decisions, go to the book written by one of the wisest men who ever lived.  This proverb talks about gaining wisdom and understanding; it talks about holding onto them at all costs.  Verse 7 says, "Wisdom is supreme;  therefore get wisdom.  Though it costs you all you have, get understanding."  This tells me that there's a cost to gaining these things, but the benefits outweigh the cost.  Verses 8 and 9 say of understanding, "Esteem her, and she will exalt you;  embrace her and she will honor you.  She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."  Wow...I feel like it's saying that understanding would make me a princess;  how beautiful does "a garland of grace" sound?  How attractive would I be to others if I was adorned with a "crown of splendor"?  Maybe there's something to this...
Solomon goes on to say that we should hold onto wise instruction, that we should guard the wisdom we have "for it is our life" (verse 13).  Then we come to verse 14 and 15 and this is where I want to zero in, "Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, do not travel on it;  turn from it and go on your way."  Solomon tells us to stay away from that which we know is wrong;  he says to me, "move along, Amanda...go on your way." 

The sad thing for us today is that there are so many "gray areas" in our society.  There are so many things that have become acceptable that it's sometimes difficult to see that we always have a choice to walk away and do our thing;  "following the crowd" doesn't have to be our only option.  Also, sin is so easily accessible today and so easily hidden that many times we fall prey to it in our weak moments, and it leads to places we never intended to go. 
Proverbs 4:18-19 says, "The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.  But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;  they do not know what makes them stumble."

 Righteousness sounds beautiful, but what if today you find yourself in the darkness?  What if you chose the wrong path?  Is there a way to get back to the light? 

God can change any situation;  He can rescue you from the deepest darkness, all it takes is a heart willing to see the light. 

Yesterday morning my five year old woke up early and came running into my room.  He starting whimpering and holding his hand over his eyes, "Mommy...I can't see.  I can't open my eyes."  You see, his room was dark, but my room was bright and sunny already.  His eyes were used to the darkness; the instant presence of light hurt them initially.  Slowly though, as his eyes adjusted he was able to see without pain.  When you are used to darkness, the light might hurt initially, but just like Micah couldn't stay in darkness all day long...he had to wake up and open his eyes in the light...you, as a child of God, can't dwell in the darkness indefinitely.  If you seek the light with all of your heart, you will find it;  God will rescue you if you call out to Him.  It may take you a while to get used to the light, but as you do, seek wisdom and understand, guard your heart, keep your feet from evil, and move along...down the path of righteousness.