The Father concludes this chapter’s wisdom with a promise, “Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.” I thank God that he taught me these and gave me the strength to change my pattern of living when I was in my early twenties.
Oh, if I had only heeded his words earlier. Then I would have found a better way and avoided sin, error, and troubles. Wisdom lies in not dwelling on such thoughts. I recognize and accept the grace and mercy given me, keep my thoughts on today, and hope for tomorrow. The Father’s words are for the present and future, not the past.
The Father tells me another very good reason for keeping to the good walk. He tells me his plans for the future. The future will come to the present and be the day of reckoning. The upright will live in the land and the wicked will be cut off from it (21,22).
The day that is coming when God will judge the living and the dead based on the decisions made. One decision will decide if a person will remain or be torn from the land. This decision is whether or not the person has decided to accept the words of the Father and his one and only Son Jesus (John 8:27-30), for the person who accepts the Son accepts the Father, and he who accepts the Son keeps his words (Mark 8:38)
Jesus taught, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” (Luke 6:46-49).
