Where Evil Treads
Jean Bundas
One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful… (II Samuel 11:2 NIV)
“Please don’t go,” Crissa begged.
Sam looked at her angrily. “This conversation is going nowhere. I’ve had it.” He walked out, slamming the front door behind him. He tugged at the wedding ring on his left hand. It felt as if it was constricting the blood flow in his finger. He quickly removed it, tucking it in the pocket of his jeans.
Don’t walk away.
Sam ignored the voice in his head. He jumped into the car. Tires squealed as he pulled away from the curb. His car seemed to be on autopilot as it headed toward a familiar section of town.
I won’t protect you this time, the voice said.
“I can handle it myself,” Sam muttered. “I don’t need your help.”
He slowed to a slow crawl as he pulled onto Grand Avenue. The houses in this area left much to be desired. A group of young teens hung out at the corner. Their bodies sported tattoos and piercings. They were dressed in black and orange, gang colors, for a group called “Midnight Warriors.” The scent of burnt leaves clung heavily in the air.
Sam continued down the street. There she was. He had spotted her while cruising this area on various occasions in the past month. He had never stopped.
He was just looking. Nothing wrong in looking, he tried to convince himself.
The girl smiled at him and winked. She brushed her long, dark hair behind her ear.
Keep going, the voice told him.
Sam pulled over to the curb and got out of the car.
Turn around.
He stopped for a moment. He looked down at the empty spot on his ring finger. His wife’s face flashed before him.
He looked down the street at the scantily clad young woman. Her smile seemed to beckon him to join her.
He placed one foot in front of the other, each step quieting the warning that rang in his ears.
The voice grew silent.
Sam stopped in front of the woman. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a few bills and handed them to her. She smiled and led him down the sidewalk toward a nearby building.
As they entered the room, she paused and reached into her purse. Pulling out her wallet, she opened it. Something shiny flashed before his eyes.
“You’re under arrest,” she told him. “Put your hands on the wall and spread eagle.”
Suddenly, two other officers seemed to come out of nowhere. “You should have stopped walking at the curb,” the officer told him.
Sam hung his head in shame. “I should have stopped walking at my front door.”
How often do we regret where we have allowed our steps to lead us? Perhaps those steps are not even physical, but choices we make with our words or what we place before our eyes. It could even be the path we allow our minds to take. How often do you find yourself struggling with thoughts of fear, inadequacy or self-condemnation?
We do have choices in life.
Take a walk with me in the recesses of your imagination. Close your eyes and picture a road. This is the road of life. Now, imagine yourself walking down that road. Along that road are many forks. Each fork represents the choices or options available to us. At the end of each fork are different consequences – some good, some not so good, depending on our choices.
We often get stuck in the same patterns and habits. We take the same road. Eventually, we wear a rut in that road and we follow that path without even realizing other options are available to us.
Now, picture with me that fork in the road: place an imaginary STOP sign at that cross-section. This is the voice of God. We need to learn to hear and recognize the voice of God in each situation, whether it is a physical choice, mental choice or a reaction to a situation. Learning to recognize these STOP signs helps us learn to make new godly choices.
Heavenly Father, I pray that You would help us see the unhealthy roads we have allowed ourselves to travel. Help us learn to hear the voice of Your Holy Spirit and change our direction. Help us to get out of the ruts we have created and to walk with You. Amen.
