Today in the airport, there were literally hundreds of opportunities to secretly indulge in lustful thoughts and looks.  Girls everywhere, dressed in ways that appealed very much to the flesh, making it especially easy for a young man to steal a quick glance here and there.  Sure, Daniel was with me, but rarely could he see my eyes.

Of course, I’m above such things, so it wasn’t even a temptation… right?  Wrong.  :-\

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18

Very familiar verse.  But have you ever really noticed the one before it?  Even in the Proverbs, context can be meaningful:

“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.” – Proverbs 16:17

He that keeps his way preserves his soul.  So many times we feel like we can handle temptation.  But that kind of prideful attitude indicates that we aren’t walking in the Spirit, which is how we are to avoid fulfilling the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).  We don’t even realize the deceitfulness of our own heart (Jeremiah 17:9), and the weakness of our flesh (Matthew 26:41).

Look at this, from Romans 13:

“…make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Making provision for the flesh is the exact opposite of keeping your way.  Jesus taught the disciples to avoid even the entering into of temptation.

James said, blessed is the man that endures temptation, not blessed is the man that subjects himself to it.  Many Christians claim the promise that God will not allow us to be tempted above that we are able, and then become disillusioned when they succumb time and time again- never stopping to realize that they are actually working against God Himself as they put themselves in the way of temptation.

So what does “keeping your way” look like for me at the airport?

  • When I have a choice,  facing the “safest” direction.
  • Purposely making my eyes visible to Daniel.
  • Reading all of the directional signs as I walk.
  • Dwelling on a particular lovely, pure, virtuous, praiseworthy thing (well, person).

How can you keep your way?

“…let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” – I Corinthians 10:12