Where Does “Your Way” Lead?

One of the proverbs that has stuck in my head over the years is found in the section below: 

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.  24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.  25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.  26  The person who labors, labors for himself,
For his hungry mouth drives him on.

The verse that has stuck with me is verse 25.  There really is a way that seems right to a man but that way will lead to destruction.  There are lots of examples of this.  It just “seems right” to a man for two people to live together before they get married, to see if they are compatible or not.  It just “seems right” to a man to take revenge or to hold a grudge.  But these ways that seem right to us go against the plan that God has laid out for us.  I think there is no better example than in salvation.  It just “seems” right to us that we should have to work to get to heaven.  There is within us a desire to earn God’s favor or approval.  But it doesn’t work that way.  That way will lead to death and hell, not life and heaven.

What is the cure?  The cure for us is to simply understand that we don’t have all the answers.  We are not eternal or all-knowing.  We can’t know for sure which is the “right way”.  Therefore, we should trust God.  We should trust His word.  God’s ways are ways of life, for the long term.  Let’s trust Him.

In wisdom,
Eric