• Seeing What Lies Ahead

    By: Kristen L. McNulty



    So often in life we operate and make decisions based only on what lies directly in front of us. And that's not surprising because most of us are not wired to be forward thinkers, always looking into the future. No most of us see the here and now and it's good enough for us. Or so we think.

    The truth is there is a danger to that kind of living when it comes to our decision making. The danger being that when we make our choices based on only what is in front of us we don't see trouble ahead and can end up walking right into it blindsided instead of taking another route that would have lead us away from the danger. Proverbs 22:3 tells us:

    "A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions; the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences." (Proverbs 22:3)

    Imagine what our lives would look like if we approached life this way? If we thought about the possible outcomes and dangers down the road that our decision today could have for us in the future? I'm convinced that we would make less mistakes because usually when we make a bad choice it's because we weren't looking down the road for danger when we did so.

    Don't believe me. Just think about it for a moment. In most of our mistakes in life there were warning signs. The problem wasn't the absence of them. The problem was we weren't looking for them.

    That's the difference between someone who is car shopping and just considers how the car looks and how you feel driving it and someone who car shops with their budget in hand and consumer books that analyze the reliability of said vehicle.

    That's the difference between someone who is dating and considering marriage and only thinks about how that person makes them feel today and all the fun they have together and the person who analyzes the character of their significant other, looks at their history and seeks out any red flags that might be there.

    The warnings signs are there, God has placed them in His word, in people we come into contact with, in the experiences of others. We just need to open our eyes to them and when we do see them, like Proverbs 22:3 instructed us, take precautions. If that vehicle looks like it's out of your price range or has reliability issues, walk away. If you have the time of your life with your boy or girl friend but they are quick tempered or not walking close to God, walk away. If you are booking a vacation on a credit card because you can't afford it today, walk away. A little pain now is better than a huge heartache or disaster later.

    Let me close with Proverbs 4:25-26: "Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe."

    Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.

    Return To The Impact Devotional Archive