Proverbs 23:19 Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path
Today in my reading I came across the verse and as my oldest son and daughter would tease me for saying, it jumped off the page at me. That is something I used to say during my sermons and they would always give me a hard time about it after the service. The verse above really did stand out to me thought because it painted a picture that was very easy for me to relate to.
The first three words, “Listen, my son,” are words that my own dad has said to me. “Listen Matt,” It was often followed by his opinion or advice about something that was going on in my life. He was also smart enough to add in there somewhere, “I know you probably aren’t going to listen to this, but…” He was usually right, I didn’t listen to him and I did what I thought was best or “right.” There were times however though that I did take his advice and listen to him. During my teenage years I didn’t take the time to sit down and analyze the effects of the decision I made on my own compared the the effects when I heeded dad’s advice. Of course as I get older and hear myself saying some of the very things my dad said to me I start to realize just how often he was right, and I was usually wrong.
As children of God we need to learn sooner rather than later the lesson I was to stubborn to learn at an early age, listen and be wise! To often in our Christian walk we do what we want rather than what scripture or the Holy Spirit tells us to do. How does that usually work out for us? I am guessing if your life has been like mine, it is just like when I was younger, not so well. I knew in my teenage years that the Lord was calling me to be a pastor, I knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I didn’t listen. I wasn’t wise. I talked myself around it and justified being a teacher as a different way to reach people for Christ. I defiantly did not set my heart on the right path! I set it on Matt’s path instead of the Lord’s path.
The path has been long and hard. There have been blessings along the way and heartache. However, the amazing things is that God Himself put me on the right path and luckily today I am able to be the pastor he called me to be and still be able to work with kids and impact them in a positive way. I shouldn’t look back but it is hard not to and wonder what my life would be like if I had got on the right path from the get go. I wouldn’t change anything now because of the blessing that come from it but I do as a dad hope that my sons and daughter will be wise and set their hearts on the right path.
What path are you on today? Are you where God has lead you to go or have you chosen your own path? Be wise and follow God’s lead where He wants you to go.