Pay Attention to Your Path (Proverbs 4:25-27)
- Bruce A. Ware
- Oct 5
- 4 min read
Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. ²⁶Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. ²⁷Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. —Proverbs 4:25-27
As we consider the wisdom in this passage, let’s recall also these words from Jesus: “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). The parallels in these two passages are striking.
Only one good way
Notice first that what is commanded of us is fundamentally the same in both passages. The sage of Proverbs presents five commands in these two short verses: “Let your eyes look directly forward,” let “your gaze be straight before you,” “ponder the path of your feet,” “do not swerve to the right or to the left,” and “turn your foot away from evil.” His point could not be clearer: there is a pathway that leads to life, joy, goodness, and fulfillment, but we must always remember that this pathway of life is solitary.
Our gaze must remain fixed on this one path. We must recall regularly the importance of remaining faithful to walk only on this path. And we must avoid veering to the right or left resulting in departing from this path that alone leads to success in life. Jesus’ admonition is amazingly similar—only the narrow gate will lead us to life. And since only this narrow gate grants what is best for us, we dare not consider taking instead the wide and easy way. There is one path to life, and this is the one we must resolve to take and remain always on.
Beware the good-looking evil way
Second, notice both passages indicate some enticement or temptation not to take the path of life. In Proverbs, this enticement is suggested by the warning to “turn your foot away from evil.” Of course, if evil were not alluring, this warning would not be necessary. But the sage of Proverbs knows the truth—evil appeals to the darkened hearts we possess due to sin, and so we face the reality that evil often acts to entice us off the path of life. But calling it evil helps us see that what it promises to us is a lie. What evil lures us toward will only bring harm. Instead, only by following the path of life will we experience all of our ways being “sure.”
In Jesus’ words, the enticement of the wide gate and path is seen in the sheer number of people who seem to think this is the best and correct path to take. If those who enter the wide gate “are many,” they must be right! We, too, like to follow the crowd; we like participating in what everyone else is doing. But once again, we must recognize that the popular path, though enticing, leads to destruction. Only the narrow path will actually lead us to life, goodness, and joy.
The hard, good path
Last, both passages indicate that there is something hard about walking the path of life, and yet despite this, it is greatly worth taking. For the sage of Proverbs, the difficulty is found in the repeated emphasis on keeping one’s gaze focused on the straight path. Don’t swerve to the right or left, He urges. This indicates that it is hard to stay on this path and, indeed, it may be easy to drift leftward or rightward if we are not vigilant. Jesus' description is more direct: the wide and popular path toward destruction is easy, whereas the narrow and solitary path toward life is hard. Though this narrow path surely brings life and blessing, it nonetheless requires vigilance and determination in light of the difficulties encountered along the way.
Here we have, then, wisdom from the sage of Proverbs and parallel wisdom from our Savior. We must resist the attitudes of our culture that despise receiving commands from another. God’s ways are always best, His wisdom is always perfect, and we only find true joy in life when we follow, not resist, His good and gracious commands.
May God grant us wisdom to see the goodness and joy of always taking the narrow path, keeping our eyes fixed on it, shunning the enticement of others in their evil, and experiencing the fulfillment we will know when we enter everlasting life through Christ.
For Reflection
Are you grateful for commands from God in His Word? Or do you chafe at all such commands thinking that you would rather live life your own way?
Do you struggle with wanting to follow the popular crowd? Do you like being in step with the culture around you?
Have you seen evidence in your life that veering from the straight path, or taking the wide path along with many others leads to destruction? If so, why do you think God allowed you to have this experience in your life?
Bruce A. Ware is professor of Christian Theology and chairman of the Department of Christian Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He has written several books, including his theology book for children, Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God. Bruce and his wife, Jodi, have two daughters and three grandchildren. The Wares love drives in the country, hikes in the woods, walks on the beach, and time with their daughters and son-in-law and grandchildren, along with reading and good music.