Right and Left

I haven’t watched the news since September 10th. This is a big deal for me since I considered myself a news junkie. However, I found myself hating people I didn’t know, getting angry at people whom I’ve never met and wanting justice for people who’ve not done me any personal harm.

Last week at our gathering, Krista Lynn provided some perspective that really helped me. Perhaps it will help you also.

The news and social media have been very loud recently; violence, elections, wars, hot topic issues and more. Each story attempts to elicit an emotional response in favor or opposition toward whatever bias is being promoted. The words being used to pit humanity against each other are “right” and “left”, “Those on the left are…” or “He is a right-wing extremist…” We are being trained to choose a man-made side and to believe the other side is evil. 

I was pondering the use of the words, right and left, being used with such vitriol these days and the Holy Spirit reminded me of a Proverb that says, “Do not turn to the right or to the left; turn your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:27) 

This peaked my curiosity to find out if the Word had anything else to say on the subject, so I searched and found a few more verses which support the God-ordained direction we should follow.

Deuteronomy 5:32-33 – So you shall be careful to do just as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk entirely in the way which the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and that it may be well for you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.

Here, Moses has just repeated the ten commandments to the people of Israel as a reminder of what YHVH had declared to them and the covenant they entered into. Moses implored the people of Israel to follow the way of the Lord and not to turn to the right or left, saying there will be a blessing of life and prolonged days in the land of promise.

Joshua 1:7 – Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go.

When it came time to enter the land of promise, the Lord spoke to Joshua, the new leader, and reiterated the importance of obeying His law and not to turn from it. There is a blessing of success in following the Lord’s way and not turning from it. 

2 Chronicles 34:2 (of King Josiah) – He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or the left.

It was worthy noting in the Bible that King Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, not turning aside to follow the right or the left. 

Proverbs 4:25-27 – Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; Turn your foot from evil.

The verses preceding the above reference give context and direction. Keep our eyes fixed straight ahead, directly in front, watching the path of our feet, not to turn from the straight path we are on, but rather turn our feet from evil.

Isaiah 30:21 – Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it, ” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Regardless of the direction we turn, the Holy Spirit will tell us the way to go. Are we listening or are we too inflamed by our emotions to hear Him speak, thus we continue on the direction we turned to follow?

God’s Word is clear – Do not turn to the right or to the left, but keep our eyes fixed straight ahead, listen for Him when we find ourselves veering off course and follow His ways. The world is loud, unsettling, and distracting and it can be so easy to be swept up in the ‘right vs. left’ mentality which truly only breeds hate in our hearts for those that Jesus died for (even while we were yet sinners…).

With all the noise, how are we to know if we are on the right path? Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” His Word illuminates our path, showing us the way to go. Let us turn off the noise and get into the Word.

Thank you, Father, for not leaving us alone in this dark world. Lord, you are good and all your ways are good. In your sovereignty and perfect wisdom, you knew of the age we would be in right now, where we are being pulled to veer from your path towards the right or the left and you already gave us guidance on how to handle it through your Word.

Your Word is life and light and reveals the way we should go! Thank you that we can trust you in all things because you are faithful and not a man that you would lie. You say that those who put their hope in you will not be put to shame. Thank you for that promise, our hope is in you alone! Your will be done and your kingdom come, in the mighty name of Jesus, amen.

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