THE ROAD OF THE RIGHTEOUS

Righteousness is a recurring theme in the eleventh chapter of Proverbs. The words “upright,” “righteousness,” “righteous,” and “right,” are found 15 times on these 31 verses.  To this, we might add synonyms such as, “just,” “integrity,” “blameless,” “faithful,” and “good.”  Solomon shares with us the road of the righteous—those who are on the highway of holiness—and where it takes those who travel.

It is often set in contrast to the road going the opposite direction—the way of the wicked.  One leads to God’s favor and the other to His fury.  The road of the righteous is a royal route to heaven and the way of the wicked is the rebellious road to hell.  After all, the crucial thing about a road is not how smooth it is and how scenic it is, but where it takes you.

I recall as a child being in the backseat of the car, late at night as we headed on the way home.  We were going on 74 from Charlotte to Asheville and making good time.  I tried to go to sleep, but the arguing of my father and mother prevented it.  Dad was on the right road, but headed in the wrong direction.  He did not want to admit he was wrong.  The farther we went, the more distant from our home we got.  It was not until he admitted he was wrong and turned around that we would reach our desired destination.

God wants us to have eternal life, abundant life here and hereafter, on earth and in eternity. Jesus said it this way, “I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

I am so thankful for the day I turned the vehicle of my life around in repentance, as I listened to the GPS—God’s Plan of Salvation.  In fact, I slid over and basically said, in the words of the Carrie Underwood song, “Jesus, take the wheel.”  It does not mean the road may not have some potholes, numerous twists and turns, with the strain of traveling uphill constantly, climbing from the flatlands into the mountains—but, the good news is that at last it will bring me home.