Refusing the easy way

Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. – Daniel 1:8

Looking out the window of an airplane, you can see the winding paths of rivers below. Except for some man-made waterways, all rivers have one thing in common – they all are crooked. The reason is simple – they follow the path of least resistance. Rivers find their way around anything that blocks their flow because they take the easy way.

The same can be said for some people. Because they fail to resist the devil, they yield to temptation and deviate from the path God would have them follow. Unlike Daniel, who "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself" (Daniel 1:8), they bend to worldly pressures and compromise what they know is right.

Writing to followers of Christ, John said that we can be victorious in our struggle against evil, because "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). Rather than being overcome, we can be overcomers. Nothing should deter us from the course God wants us to travel. We don’t have to yield to any temptation or foe. The Holy Spirit who lives in us will strengthen us so that we can remain steadfast.

We won’t become "crooked" if we refuse to follow the path of least resistance. – Richard J. De Haan

We need a strength to keep us true

And straight, in everything we do;

We need a power to keep us strong

When we are tempted to do wrong. – Anon.

READ: Daniel 1:1-8

You won’t go astray on the straight and narrow way.