Some people say it’s easy to live within the lines and never cross the boundaries. On the one hand, I admire them, but on the other, I wonder whether they are honest with themselves. I don’t find it easy to walk in the middle of the road every moment of the day.

It’s difficult for me to remain calm when someone cuts in front of me in traffic. It’s like a flip switch and before I know it, I’ve said or thought a couple of choice words.

All of us, or most of us, have a flaw. Some of us have more than one.

• Maybe it’s your tongue that just says things and sow destruction.
• Maybe it’s your eyes that cannot look away from those things behind the screens.
• Maybe it’s your throat that lets too much in.
• Maybe it’s your hand touching the wrong places.
• Maybe it’s your fingers taking stuff that doesn’t belong to you.
• Maybe it’s your brain thinking wrong thoughts.
• Maybe it’s your thoughts misleading you and leading you away from the truth.
• Maybe it’s your feet taking you on the wrong paths.
• Maybe it’s …

Let’s be honest with one another and admit that we struggle to remain within the lines in all areas. I want to say it’s human. Because we’re human, chances are that we will test the boundaries one time or another or often. And yes, sometimes we’re going to cross them.

Now that we know that most of us struggle with something, we must also tell one another that this is not a reason to keep playing on that wrong path. To acknowledge that is the first step, and the second step is to get away. We must consciously plan to turn back to the right path.

Like Paul tells Titus: ²… and endurance.

To have endurance means to persevere and try hard, because it is simply not easy today to keep on the right path in all areas of your life. There are so many temptations. There are so many turnoffs we can take. And the worst is that we don’t always know that we’re taking the wrong turn off. Everything looks so good and right.

And when people talk in general about things that are not right, the wrong thing always pops up in your head. You see, we know what is right and what is wrong. It’s part of our DNA. That’s why the wrong that we do pops up in our thoughts just like that. Like now …

Let’s try our best to always walk the right path. Let’s admit our mistakes and let’s admit our inability to make it right too. So, let’s get reinforcements. Let’s pray, but even more, let’s get others to help us walk the right path.

Scripture
Titus 2:1-5

 Reflection
What tempts you away from the right path?
What can you do to get rid of it?
How can you persevere on the right path?

Prayer
Lord, You know how I struggle. You know I don’t want to, but I fall into the trap again and again. Please help me push away from the wrong path and to fully walk the right path. Amen.