(Prov 22:5 AMP) Thorns and snares are in the way of the obstinate and willful; he who guards himself will be far from them.
This morning we continue our series entitled “Unlocking the Power of Proverbs – Walking in the Wisdom of God.” Here Solomon gives us another of his famous contrasts. He contrasts the pathway of the person who stubbornly and willfully disobeys God with the pathway of the person who guards himself from anything that would be displeasing to the Father. Make no mistake, the two pathways are strikingly different. Back in chapter 13 Solomon spoke plainly about the difficulties that lay in wait for the sinner, saying, “The way of the unfaithful is hard” (v.15). The way of the unfaithful is hard because his path is full of thorns and snares.
In Genesis chapter 3, as a result of Adam’s sin, the Lord cursed the serpent (satan), the woman (Eve), and the man (Adam). This is what he told Adam: “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree That I commanded you not to eat from, ‘Don’t eat from this tree,’ The very ground is cursed because of you; getting food from the ground Will be as painful as having babies is for your wife; you’ll be working in pain all your life long. The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you’ll get your food the hard way, Planting and tilling and harvesting, sweating in the fields from dawn to dusk, Until you return to that ground yourself, dead and buried; you started out as dirt, you’ll end up dirt” (Gen 3:17-19). Thank God that Jesus came to redeem us – to get us OUT of everything that Adam got us IN to!
In a natural sense thorns came as a result of sin. The garden, prior to sin, was thorn and weed free. In a spiritual sense the same holds true. Spiritual thorns come as a result of sin; as a result of disobeying God, ignoring His wisdom, disregarding His warnings, and rejecting His ways. So in that light we can understand how Solomon is explaining two options: we can either walk with God or without Him. We can either choose to accept Jesus as our Lord or we can reject Him. There are really no other choices and we will reap either the reward or the peril of our decision.
So what does this mean to you today? It means you must make your choice. You can either choose the path that includes God or the one that excludes Him. Both paths contain challenges. I would love to tell you that the path with God is free from obstacles, but I would be lying. The difference, however, is that when you face those challenges WITH God – with His insight, wisdom, revelation and understanding – you are able to come out on top every time! On the path without God you face challenges as well, but you don’t have the benefit of His grace. So choose God today. I mean really choose Him. Choose to face every day with His Spirit as your guide, His Word as your foundation, and His wisdom as the ruler by which you judge every decision. If you do that you will experience the grace and favor of God and you will enjoy every day of your life as you make your journey from earth to glory, from labor to reward, from time to eternity!
Closing Confession: Father, thank You for making both paths vividly clear through Your Word. There is no mistake about it, I have two paths available to me, but I declare, right now, that I make the choice that is pleasing to You! I choose life and blessing, not death and cursing. I choose Your path Father. I enter every day with the blessed benefit of Your wisdom, insight, revelation and understanding. I am led by Your Spirit and governed by Your Word. I have accepted Jesus as my Lord. I am on my way to heaven and I am determined to enjoy the ride. No matter what I face, I know that I do not face it alone. I face every challenge head-on, by faith, and with the confidence of knowing that I will come out on top, because You are ON me, IN me, WITH me, and FOR me! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
