Whom Do You Follow?

Psalm 119:176 — I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments. (KJV)

One day, a month or so ago, upon coming to a relatively short, but busy corner that I've crossed many a time, I was so engrossed in my thoughts (no, not texting or on my cell phone — just my thoughts), that I just followed the woman and a few others ahead of me when they started across, without giving it a thought — until I realized midway, that the light was still red!

It's a common practice in the city. People know the lights so well and they are so impatient, that they ignore the Don't Walk signal and start walking against the red light the second the cross traffic has stopped. Or else they watch when the opposite light turns yellow and start across in the direction they're headed. Whatever the case, it is with little or no regard for or thought of any consequences. It's not something that I care to do, and I was mortified that I'd done it.

A car could have come unexpectedly out of nowhere, or one could have turned the corner into us. While nothing happened, it was a stark lesson, as well as a reminder that it can happen with many things in our everyday life … including our spiritual life. Bored, or maybe thinking that we're missing something in our lives, it can be so easy to get caught up in a new fad, or what someone else believes in, chooses to practice, or reads and shares with us, or what we hear on the radio or see on television that is opposite to what we believe, that we (hopefully) temporarily follow what we later realize we ought not to.

Throughout the Bible, we are given stop and go commands, as well as caution and walk guidance, which we must not forget to observe and obey, for our Maker has given us these commandments and guidelines to follow in order to give us direction in our lives.

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, thank You for the commandments and guidance for life that You offer. But, just as with stoplights, You leave us to choose to follow and obey them. May we not become so engrossed in other things that we forget to be ever mindful of the guidelines that You have laid out for us. In Your name, we pray and give thanks for this day. Amen.