Direction always wins over intention when it comes to reaching our goals in life.
Unfortunately, some fail to see the connection between the direction of their life and the future destination. They believe intention is all that matters.
Let’s say you want to be a spiritual leader in your home. You decide you are going to establish a strong spiritual foundation for your family. If you want your kids to know and follow Jesus, but you’re too busy to make time for spiritual things, there is an obvious disconnect. Do you see it?
In Proverbs 7, King Solomon told a story that reminds us of this important principle that direction determines destination in life every time. He was speaking to a group of young men. The story he told involves two characters. The first is a naive young man, and the second is a seductive married woman.
In verses 6 and 7, he describes a young man who lacked judgment. The way you get judgment is through time and experience. So here’s this young kid who does not have a lot of time under his belt and he does not have a lot of experience.
This helps explain why our parents got so much smarter as we got older. As you grow and get more experience, you have better judgment.
In the following verses, Solomon paints a very vivid picture (see verses 8 through 15). The young man is naive. He doesn’t see what’s happening. This seductive woman is leading him down a very dangerous path. Her subtle message is that there are no consequences to their choices as long as they don’t get caught.
When you do the wrong thing, it never turns out right. You can’t take a wrong turn without going the wrong way. When you take a wrong turn, you won’t end up at the right place.
As you read on through verse 23, Solomon compares this naive young man to an ox being led to the slaughter. He makes the point that this woman is on a path that is leading someplace.
She has a specific direction in mind, and just like every path, this path is going in a direction that leads to a specific destination.
Think about the path you have chosen for your life. Where is it headed? It is headed someplace because direction always determines destination.
The solution to some of the greatest challenges you are facing in life may be found in a change of direction. Are you willing to consider that?
Steve Greene is the lead pastor of The Point in Seymour. Read his blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or email him at [email protected]. Send comments to [email protected].