Today's Reading: Proverbs 9 & 10

The Road Not Taken

In Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken” we read these words: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” The metaphor of the road is one that speaks to us of a journey, with many roads which we must travel along, and with many alternative paths which we must choose between. As the two roads diverged, the author was forced to choose one, because he could not take both. By choosing one, this meant that he also necessarily had to choose not to take the other. In opting for one road, he was consciously rejecting the other.

In a similar fashion, Proverbs 10 lays out for us two distinct roads our lives could take during our journey here on earth. One is the road to life. The other, the road to going astray. We, too, must pause and intently consider these two roads, because we cannot take both. In opting for one road, we must make the conscious choice not to take the other.

Verse 17 tells us that “whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life.” This path is the road of submission to Jesus Christ. If we heed His instruction, trust His love, and follow His guidance, He will lead us to this “life.” This is the road to everlasting life – not only in the future “by-and-by” but in the present “here-and-now.” Jesus said that He had come to bring us “abundant life” – a life free from worry and free from condemnation for sin - a rich and satisfying life filled with joy and peace and the presence of the Holy Spirit. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.” (1 John 5:12) This, sadly, is the road less traveled.

The other road is taken by the one who “rejects reproof.” He/she doesn’t pay attention to God’s truth or His chastisement. This person, tragically, will not only go astray themselves, but will lead others astray. In the end, the road they chose will come to a bitter end with pain and misery. That’s why Jesus urged us all to take the road less traveled: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way [road] is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way [road] is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."(Matthew 7:14)

So, which road have you chosen? The “path of life”? Or, the "path of going astray"? You cannot choose both. By choosing one, you are choosing not to take the other. Jesus counsels you to take the road less traveled: “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will save it.” (Mark 8:35)

As Frost said, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”