One-minute read.
The highway of the upright turns aside from evil whoever guards his way preserves his life.
Proverbs 16:17
Doing the right thing repeatedly safeguards against calamity. Like a well-maintained road, preventive measures avoid potholes and keep the highway well-graded. Sealing cracks, repairing paved edges, and keeping the ditches clean all help prevent minor defects from becoming major ones. In the same way, when we obey God’s commands, live with integrity, and develop a sensitivity to sin, it helps safeguard us from evil intentions.
Whether dirt or paved, proper road maintenance has the same end goal: keep the road as close to its original condition as possible. Following Jesus, we share the same end goal: love God and others, and by doing so, we share the Gospel’s good news. If we don’t spend time with the Lord, maintaining our souls by reading, studying, and meditating on scripture, we won’t know God’s commands, develop integrity, or become sensitive to the sin in our lives.
Bad things happen to good people because sin exists. Sometimes, the decisions we make cause us the most harm. Developing a close relationship with God helps us avoid the potholes of life as we let Him lead us instead of doing things from our limited perspective. When the storms hit, the Lord will help us navigate the turbulent waters, giving us His peace that surpasses all understanding. To reap God’s blessings, we must follow Him closely, doing His will and trusting Him to protect us from evil.
Application:
God’s guidance protects us.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for giving us directions to live by and care for ourselves. Please help us make the right decisions at the correct times to avoid evil and safeguard our lives. Protect us from ourselves, and let us find peace in You.
IJNIP. Amen
