The Right Way

A video I watched recently filmed a daring stunt of a young man sliding down a make-shift watery slope with enough speed to propel him up an incline catapulting him through the air to land in an inflated pool of water.  I don’t care to think how many times it took to get it right!

The life of Solomon, David’s son, is one of the greatest yet saddest stories of old.  In a place named Gibeon God asked Solomon “what shall I give you,” and Solomon answered “an understanding mind and a hearing heart,” which pleased the Lord. (1 Kings 3:5-10)  Scripture then tells us God did as Solomon asked and became known for his wisdom as no other king before or since; furthermore, God gave Solomon riches and honor – things for which he did not ask.  As king over all Israel, Solomon built a magnificent temple and led the people in worship, recalling God’s covenant faithfulness and lovingkindness.  Chapter 8:54-60, King Solomon spoke a beautiful benediction: “Blessed be the Lord, who ha given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised, not one word has failed of all His good promise … May the Lord our God be with us … that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statues and His ordinances, which He commanded … so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no one else … Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord our God.”  What a glorious time for Jehovah and His people.  Then, so it happened … “King Solomon loved many foreign women … Solomon held fast to these in love.” (11:1-2)  A king’s heart turned away, divided, embraced idols, held tightly other gods: material things, positions of leadership and service, relationships … yes, Lord, my own list is painfully long.   Oh, what a slippery slope when we follow our own ways, compromising God’s Word.   In the video, the stunt’s successful and safe end involved precise calculations; following God’s commands is the only safe and honorable way of Christian living.  Doing life our way miscalculates and misses the mark – it’s called sin.  Don’t second-guess God – His Way is perfect and always brings a glorious end.  It’s the best way, the only way, the … right way.