There is a way that appears to be right,
Proverbs 14:12 NIV
but in the end it leads to death.
The book of Proverbs is filled, not with absolutes, but with general guidelines for life. And this proverb is no exception. Not every way that appears to be right will result in death. But it is often true.
How often does the road ahead seem so appealing? Yet after walking down it a short way, you discover that you are not traveling on the right road. That it is not as promising as you originally thought. It might be a dead end. Or, even worse, disaster might lie at the end of the road.
There have been a number of times when hiking through the mountains and coming to a fork in the trail, that I have chosen what looked most promising, only to find it did not lead where I wanted to go. Maybe I misread my map. Or didn’t read it at all. Maybe the signs were misleading. Or maybe I was just inattentive. I have been guilty of all of those reasons. While those mistakes have never been overly costly to me, they have cost other people greatly. Even to the loss of their lives.
How much more important, when going through this life, that I carefully examine the forks in the road that I come to? Don’t pick the one that is the most appealing to my human senses. Instead, pick the road that will lead to your desired destination. Look ahead. Read the map (the Bible), and seek directions (prayer and godly advice). Don’t follow the broad and appealing road that leads to death. Instead, chose the narrow way that leads to life (Matt. 7:13-14). Follow the Shepherd of your soul and travel on the right road.
