Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the
years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led
you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered,
and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard
her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk
in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass
on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep
unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and
drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like ethe light of
dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked
is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. (Proverbs 4:10-19 ESV).
I know that the
ministry I have been called to results in a skewed demographic. In fact, I
always begin the first session with an explanation of choices. We always have
three, though sometimes one or more of those choices may have been eliminated
by the time folks get to me. That eliminated choice is what I have called “stay
the same.” I honestly have never had someone sit in front of me and say, “Please,
I need help staying the same.” More often than not they come to me out of the
frustration that choice has caused in their lives. So, functionally they get to
me with a choice between quitting or changing. I am always an advocate of
change in these cases.
Even when folks choose
to change, the way is not easy. Sometimes it is so difficult that it feels
unbearable. Yet that is the path to life. It has been likened to the “road less
travelled” because of its difficulty. My encouragement to you is the same as
King Solomon… walk in this road of wisdom. Take that first step and experience the
life God has won for you in His grace.
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