There are two ways a person will live their lives. The road that follows Christ is lifegiving. While it is riddled with potholes of unforeseen circumstances, valleys of troubles and steep cliffs of adversities, it grows our faith, matures us spiritually, and deepens our dependence on God. It is indeed the journey of the living because to walk it requires a fixed focus on Jesus who is our righteousness. Solomon reminds us that, “in its path there is no death.”
In contrast, if there is road to life, there is an another path (with a large and broad entrance door) that is deceptively perilous and leads to death. Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:13), “…For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” The Hebrew transliteral word for “path” used in this Proverbs text is “derek” which refers to the “course of life.” In others words, it is reference to what a person believes and how it guides the direction of their lives like a GPS. As a result, Solomon endeavors to highlight this broader truth:
- To follow God is to embrace the wisdom of his Word as our guide.
- To follow God not only leads to eternal life, but it proposers and extends our earthly days (cf., Prv 3:1-2).
- To follow Christ (who is righteous) reflects our new identity in Him and exemplifies his character in our journey of life, or as Solomon states, “In the path of righteousness is life,…”
To reject Jesus is to at the same time travel the road of physical and spiritual ruin full of snares and sorrows that lead many to perdition. It is a lifeless path, for it is shrouded in human vanity. Its difficulty is unproductive and adds no value in eternity. In contrast, the way of God (though difficult) is profitable to us in every area of life. It is more valuable than the most precious gold and silver of this world (1 Pt 1:6-7). The reality we must realize (in the end) is that while both paths have trials and tribulations, only one has God ordained for his people for our earthly living and eternal good. Solomon helps us here to choose the right way of life. And only by a fear of God and cherishing his wisdom can we travel the path where there is no death. Let us embrace this grace of truth everyday in our life of faith. Amen.
Blessings,
Dr. Jason S. Price, Th.D.
www.springoflivingwaters.com