Paths

Paths

Some years back on our way home from somewhere I stubborned my way into the heart of Allentown, Pennsylvania. You know how we men can be—“don't worry, wife, as long as the road's heading south, we'll get where we're going.” Allentown, Pennsylvania was not the "get" where we were going. It didn't seem a big deal until we passed this same water tower the third time. I turned down this street and we came to the water tower. I tried that street and we came to the water tower. I tried another street and we came to the water tower. I heard it said that all roads lead to Rome and there are many different paths to God, but apparently all roads and paths lead to a water tower in Allentown, Pennsylvania. But it wasn't our intended destination. Our home was where we wanted to go, but without a map and a clear knowledge of the roads we had gotten lost and stuck where we did not desire to be. To resort to a cliché, we were going around in circles. 


Speaking of clichés, we went to Niagara Falls on our honeymoon. The AAA provided detailed

maps of the most scenic route through New England and Canada with all the attractions noted. For most of the two weeks the weather was beautiful, but the day we reached Montpelier, Vermont, it rained.

We were at the State Capital wishing to view the building up close, but not wishing to get wet, so I suggested we drive this road that seemingly circled the structure. (Have you noticed on these trips it is I so sure of the way?)

I drove around the building on the right, but we never came back out on the left. Somehow what seemed a circle was not and we were soon out of town driving through fields and woods. As we progressed (stubbornly again) the road grew more narrow and then turned to gravel instead of macadam. Occasionally we'd cross another bi-way, but the street markers were now rough cut, hand-painted boards. At one break in the woods there was an open pasture up a hill. Near the top was a small house out of which streamed a line of children who stood waving as we passed as if welcoming visitors from another world. (Perhaps we were.) Eventually I came to my senses (my wife told me to turn around) and since "the way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice" Proverbs 12:15, I turned around and back-tracked to Montpelier.

Even with a very well defined map, a small diversion had taken us from the planned destination and gotten us lost.

What has all this to do with musings and ruminations about my personal journey to God? Kind of a lot. I've chosen a lot of different roads on that journey and I thought for half my life if I was sincere in my choice, it didn't matter, I'd get there. Any road going south would get me home, not trapped in Allentown. Anywhere I turned off would get me to Niagara Falls, not lost in a backwoods of Vermont. It didn't matter which path I took to God, as long as I sincerely followed that path I would get there.

But now here's a thought I think about. In my community I have a good friend living two doors down my street. If I want to get to my friend's house, I walk out my front door, turn left and walk down the street to his place. Now one could say that is not the only way to my friend's. You could say there are other ways to my friend's from my house and you would be correct...to a degree. I could come out my front door and turn right and walk up my street to various cross streets. I could turn down any one of these cross streets in any direction and go until I came to another street, turn onto it and eventually circle around to my street and come up to my friend's from his other side. But the truth is, if I were to do that I am really walking away from my friend and unless I turn around and walk in his direction, I will never reach him.

It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way. Proverbs 19:2