25 Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.
26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.
27 Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
As I read through Proverbs I get this distinct feeling that one of the main threads coursing throughout Solomon’s mind is the principle of self-leadership. The question that seems is being asked is: “Who leads your life?” Now naturally most of us would say, “I do, of course?” But as I think more deeply about this, I don’t think that’s always the case. Whenever I take the time to review my day, I tend to find that ‘circumstances’ have been leading my life, or other people have been leading me(their opinions, words, actions, needs, etc), my feelings play a part in this, my ‘smart phone’ (most definitely!), emails…I think you see where I’m coming from.
The idea of self-discipline is the same thing as leading ones self. If I don’t lead myself, someone or something else will. Think about it? What leads your life? Do you determine what you are going to focus on today, or is it other people, situations, or feelings? I think that Solomon is saying, “I can choose to lead myself.”
I love these words in Proverbs, and they are so relevant in todays age! Are we not a distracted people?? The ‘noise’ of life is so loud anymore, with everything clamouring for our attention, that the second you bound out of bed something is demanding your attention! And how many people do you hear about that are struggling with ADD, and other various disorders that cripple their ability to focus on a task. We tend to call those interruptions, SQUIRRELS. If you’re chuckling to yourself right now, then you know what I’m talking about. These SQUIRRELS (or distractions) are everywhere and can happen at anytime.
I’m having a conversation with someone and my phone buzzes…SQUIRREL!
I’m preparing for a teaching that I have to give and a thought goes through my mind…SQUIRREL!
I’m having a date night at a pub (poor choice) and a sports game is on the TV that’s posted above my spouse’s head. My team scores! SQUIRREL!
Solomon says to look straight ahead and fix your eyes…mark out a straight path…don’t get sidetracked. In other words, focus, and lead yourself.
Sin is much like a SQUIRREL…it’s everywhere trying to distract me from what’s important in life. Sure I can pray, “Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.” But I must also fix my eyes on Jesus, because after all, I am supposed to following him, not the SQUIRRELS!
Finding Beautiful 