10-12 My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. 13 Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life.

14-15 Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. 16-17 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence!

18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over. Proverbs 4:10-19 New Living Translation.

Did you notice this father describes life as being like a journey with different pathways to choose? He wasn't talking of smooth tarred highways that many of us enjoy, but rather of the rocky and bumpy paths of those days. There probably weren't many signs on the way either, and definitely no Satnavs! And the journey was made on foot, one step at a time. That's a pretty good picture for the journey of life. The road ahead is not always clear, there are twists and turns (and perhaps obstacles) on the way, and sometimes it's very dark. In vs 10-13 he speaks of a pathway that is straight and how his child could make the journey without taking a bad tumble. What was the biggest danger he warned could happen along the way? (vs 14-17)

It's as we would say today – getting into the wrong company. Choosing to follow those who love doing wrong. The father says: “Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving.”

And we must not limit his advice to just the violent people he describes. The apostle Paul said to Christians at Ephesus: “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you - such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes - these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. A greedy person is an idolater, worshipping the things of this world. Don’t participate in the things these people do, for once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. Live as people of light!” (Ephesians 5:3-8)

Jesus used a similar picture in Matthew 7:13 when He said:“You can only enter God’s Kingdom through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Following the crowd is tempting, easy and popular. Following Christ can be difficult and lonely. But look at how the father contrasts the two paths in vs 18-19. What does that suggest to you about this journey on the right track – or should we say, the righteous track?

My thoughts were that it reminds us we don't get everything together all at once. While we are 'saints' the moment we are in Christ by faith, our 'saintly' lifestyle is a matter of progress. The man named John Bunyan realised that and rightly titled the famous book he wrote in 1678 'The Pilgrim's Progress'. In fact, the full title was “The Pilgrim's Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come.” It's a step by step journey we are on.

But the other thing vs 18-19 suggested to me is that the big difference between saints and sinners is that the one is on a journey where the road is becoming brighter and brighter along the way, while the other is constantly stumbling in the dark. And that difference has been brought about by Jesus Christ. In John 8:12 Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Are you on the right track today?