Guard Your Path - Proverbs 22

Proverbs 22:5
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards himself will be far from them.

I remember when I was young running through the woods without a care in the world. Then it happened.  As I aimlessly went off the beaten path and the terrain grew rougher the briers grabbed at my bare flesh.   Blood was my reward for not following the path.  I learned a valuable lesson that day ... The path was easy and safe and off the path is often dangerous and disastrous.   If I would have memorized and internalized Proverbs 22:5 I would have avoided that lesson.   Solomon wants us to realize that real danger is in the path of those who forsake God's Word.   If we "guard" ourselves (by God's Word) we can avoid the perverse.   We can stay on the path God has provided for us or we can step off the path into thorns and snares.   Blood and pain will await us when we fail to guard ourselves from the perverse way.   The only way to avoid those dangers is to stay on the prescribe path God has outlined for us in His Word.  When we yield to temptation we have to realize and recall the path we were on when that happened.  We often repent over the sin but we don’t always retrace the path we took that lead to the sin.  We have to realize that when we get off the path it will lead to sin.   When we “guard” our path we can keep ourselves from the steps that ultimately lead to sin.   If we are perverse in our steps we will have thorns and snares in our walk.   Think of those in God’s Word who have gone off the path God designed for them and paid the consequences:

1. King David strayed and it cost a child his life. 

2. Jonah strayed and it cost a ship its cargo and a fish indigestion. 

3. Absalom stray and revolted agains his father, King David, and it cost him his life. 

4. Esau strayed and sold his birthright for pot of stew and it cost him his soul. 

5. Adam and Eve strayed and it brought sin into the world onto all mankind. 

We ought to realize that going off the path.  There is a cost to be paid.   But, he who guards his soul will not have that happen.  Think of those in God’s Word who guarded their soul and the blessings that followed:

1. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and was the ONLY man of his day that was pure before God. 

2. Abigail, wife of Nabel, was a virtuous woman who eventually became King David’s wife. 

3.  The woman of Proverbs 31 is known far and wide for her virtuous ways. 

4. Paul was persecuted and beaten and imprisoned, but he so walked with God that he became the face of Christianity. 

5. Job guarded his tongue and eventually was vindicated by God. 

Those who guard their ways will be blessed in the end.  We ought to watch our step and guard our ways.   That is when we see the blessing of God in our lives.