One of the reasons we minimize being on the wrong path is we say to ourselves, “It won’t happen to me.” We think, I’m in control. I know better. I’m not going to end up in the same place that other people end up.
If you’ve been to Niagara Falls, you’ve seen the powerful Niagara River, coming down and dropping hundreds of feet. Over the years people have fallen into the Niagara River and gone over the falls. Thirty people have intentionally decided to go over the falls. They got into a barrel, a boat or they wrapped themselves in bubble wrap – they did something – to try to go over the falls. Of those thirty that went over the falls, only 16 survived. They thought, It won’t happen to me. I can make it. I’m going to be okay.
Many people are doing ONE THING, but it’s the wrong ONE THING, taking them to the wrong place.
As you think about what it means to live an intentional life in Christ, the question to ask yourself is, “Am I on the right path, pursuing the right ONE THING?”
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (ESV). It got me thinking that if you can be on a path to destruction and death, and it seems right, then isn’t it possible you and I can be on a path every day that doesn’t necessarily lead to death, but it leads to pain, mediocrity and regret? It could lead to just a life that we live but doesn’t lead to where we really would like to be in what God intends for us.
It’s possible for those of us as Christ followers to be on the right path to heaven, but the wrong path of our daily lives. Being intentional is going to help you have a better life, be more fulfilled and bring glory to God and be a benefit to yourself and others.
Solomon wrote the words to our verse today. And I think it’s important to circle the words seems right because there’s a perception that can happen in our own minds.
- The relationship seemed right.
I’ve heard that in counseling over the years. It seemed right. We know statistics about fifty percent of marriage in the divorce, something wasn’t right.
- New businesses seem right when they start.
And yet the stats are that after one year, twenty percent have failed after ten years, two-thirds of all businesses have failed.
The investment seemed right.
- The habits seemed right.
- The decision that I made at that time seemed right.
I’ve been around long enough to know that you and I could be on a path that seems right, but we may not know if the path we’re on is right until a few years down the road because we live in a fallen world.
The message today isn’t to say, “Hey, I’m always going to be on the right path,” because you’re always going to be on a path at times, and you look back and say, “I shouldn’t be on this path.”
Silhouette of a sign with four directions with mountains and sunset in the background