Proverbs 4 — What Path Are You On?

Alright, ladies, Proverbs 4 feels different to me because when I read it, I don’t just hear Solomon giving us a bunch of wise advice. I hear a father pleading with his children: Listen to me. Pay attention. I’m trying to keep you from learning some things the hard way.

And good grief, if you’re a parent, you understand this. There are things you tell your kids not because you’re trying to control them, but because you’ve lived long enough to know where certain roads lead. You know what’s waiting around some corners because maybe you’ve already crashed into it yourself. So when you say, Don’t go that way, you’re not trying to ruin their fun. You’re trying to save them some pain.

I think sometimes we completely misunderstand the boundaries of God that way. We look at His commands and think, Why can’t I? Why does God care? Why is this such a big deal? And God is saying, Because I can see farther down the road than you can.

That’ll preach.

Proverbs 4 lays out two paths. Not twenty-seven. Not your truth, my truth, whatever feels right today. Two. There is the path of wisdom and righteousness, and there is the path of foolishness and wickedness. One leads toward light and life. The other leads deeper and deeper into darkness.

Nobody accidentally ends up miles down the wrong road. We get there one choice at a time.

One compromise. One ignored warning. One little justification. One I know what God says, but… One everybody else is doing it. One it’s really not that big of a deal. And before we know it, we look around and wonder, How in the world did I get here?

Verse 18 says the path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining brighter and brighter until full daylight. But then verse 19 says the way of the wicked is like deep darkness—they don’t even know what makes them stumble.

Sit in that for a second.

You can become so comfortable walking in darkness that eventually you don’t even recognize what keeps tripping you up. We blame people. We blame circumstances. We blame our childhood. We blame the devil. We blame everybody and everything while God is lovingly saying, Baby, look at the road you’re walking on.

And then Solomon gives us one of those verses we’ve probably heard a thousand times: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Above. All. Else.

Guard your heart.

Because what gets into your heart eventually finds its way into your life. What you continually watch matters. What you continually listen to matters. Who you allow to speak into you matters. What you entertain in your mind matters. What you laugh at matters. What you excuse matters. What you keep telling yourself doesn’t matter eventually matters.

Then verses 25–27 basically tell us: Eyes forward. Watch where you’re going. Think about the path your feet are taking. Don’t turn to the right or the left. Get your feet away from evil.

QUIT PLAYING WITH THE EDGE.

How close can I get without technically sinning? How much can I compromise and still call myself obedient? How far can I wander before I’ve officially left the path?

Wrong question.

The question should be: How close can I stay to Jesus?

Because God’s boundaries aren’t Him standing over us trying to suck all the fun out of life. They’re the boundaries of a Father who LOVES His daughters. A Father who sees what we cannot see. A Father who knows where every road ends. A Father saying, Trust Me. Stay here. This way leads to life.

Oh, HOW HE LOVES US.

So maybe today is just a good day to stop and look down at your feet.

What path are you actually on?

Not the path you tell everybody you’re on. Not the path your Instagram makes it look like you’re on. Not the path you intend to be on.

Where are your feet actually taking you?

And ladies, if you look down and realize you’ve wandered, there is no shame in making a U-turn. MAKE THE U-TURN. You don’t have to keep walking the wrong direction just because you’ve already walked ten miles down that road. Turn around. Come home.

Wisdom is calling.