“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”

Proverbs 4: 18

Feeling my face flush and blood pressure shoot up, I watch as the car in front of me slows and then continues to drift from its lane. 

The driver had to hear and feel the rumble strips built into the the road. This is what they are there for—to alert the sleepy or distracted and snap them back to what’s ahead. 

I can see the head perk up from its prior downward position as the car veers back into its lane and the driver guns the engine enough to get up to speed. Relieved, I take a deep breath and keep an eye on them just as the head drops again and the car begins to drift. This time the passenger side tires almost make it to the grass beyond the road’s solid line and shoulder. This time the correction is more abrupt and dramatic. The car swerves back into its lane and I marvel out loud about the danger, the dereliction of driving duty.

The pattern continued and I watched in dismay as the swerving continued back into town. When I was safely able, I made my way around the seemingly inept driver and found the answer. Shocker, they were on their phone.

Something on that cell phone was critically important—more important than possibly getting pulled over, wrecked or even killed.

That’s a relief I thought. At least it was something worthwhile.

My law enforcement daughter quickly confirmed what common sense tells us to be true, failure to maintain your lane is one of the first signs that something is awry.

In her days on patrol she told me that it generally meant someone was distracted or under the influence, or maybe even both. Leaving their lane was usually the first tip for the officer and it more times than not invited the officer’s greater attention.

Feeling justified and a bit smug, I thought about how I make a point of not scrolling on my phone, preferably not even holding onto it while I’m driving. What is trapped in that tiny machine I insist on carrying everywhere is ultimately not worth sacrificing everything for. 

And yet, my face flushes red again as I recall more than one instance that I looked up only to realize my speed had dropped to well below the limit as I tried to tap a link or open a message that seemed it could not wait when the tiny machine notified me from its seat next to mine.

When I read through Proverbs 4 last week, verse 27 stood out even more:

“Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”

Swerving is nothing new. Apparently we fallen people were swerving when we were just hoofing it on our own two feet. The verses prior tell us to ponder the path of our feet so our ways will be sure and look directly forward, keeping your gaze straight. Not unlike keeping your eyes on the road and maintaining your lane I think.

Like the actual road, God’s word makes clear that keeping to the path He’s laid out is vital not only for our safety and survival but for getting where He has planned for us to go. We’ve got plenty of pitfalls and opportunities to wreck.

The swerving verses make me recall Isaiah and his repeated calls to God’s chosen. He pleaded and preached and told of God’s graciousness, if only they would walk in His ways, return to Him. He wonders out loud about our dangerous dereliction of duty.

In chapter 30 he repeats the pattern that proves true for all of our lives, detailing rebellion against God and once again God’s mercy and grace: “Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”

[Insert loud and jolting rumble strip noise here.]

He goes on to explain that as soon as the people cry out and ask for his help, the Teacher will not hide. He will give the needed direction.

“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

This is a most welcome reassurance when we are trying to find our way despite constant distraction and evil influence that eagerly assaults at every turn.

We want to arrive safely at home. We want to find our way, the way that He is sending us. It is often just so difficult to silence the noise coming from that seat next to us.

The number of things we make critically important that are, in fact, not critically important are astounding.

Just ask the Israelites on their way to the promised land. So many distractions, so much lamenting of all that was left behind when they followed God’s route into the wilderness and headed for the promised land. They longed for the way things were and actually forgot the way things were (slavery anyone?) 

Moses led and they seemed to swerve time and again, so much swerving that the original generation did not see the Promised Land for themselves.

Even Moses did not cross over. That leadership passed to Joshua upon his death. And God’s directions to Joshua were clear, the language reminding us once again of not swerving: “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” 

Clarity for the road ahead.

Restoration even after the wreck.

Rescue from death.

Turning back to the beginning of Proverbs 4, I notice what I had not before. The verses repeatedly talk about wisdom and staying in its path. He has led us in it, if only we will follow. When we walk this way our steps will not be hampered. We will not stumble.

Do not walk in the way of evil.

Just maintain your lane.

Like the officer who is alerted to our distracted state and pulls us over for our own safety, God calls us out and offers to put us back on the path home.