Walking Down a Different Street
Albert Einstein said that “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Many of us fall into that same trap. We think that this time things will be different. But sadly, most times the result is the same, and it often causes harm to us and others. And soon we find ourselves doing and saying things that six months ago we would have said “no way” to. The line of what is acceptable gets moved little by little and soon we find ourselves in a deep hole wondering how we got there. It is often “death by inches.” I have at times in my own life fallen victim to that.
The poem below succinctly describes how to avoid death by inches.
“Autobiography in Five Short Chapters” by Portia Nelson [1]
CHAPTER ONE
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
CHAPTER TWO
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
CHAPTER THREE
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I see it is there.
I still fall in…it’s a habit.
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
CHAPTER FOUR
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
CHAPTER FIVE
I walk down a different street.
[1] There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery. Hillsboro, Ore.: Beyond Words Publishing, Inc., 1993
We need to avoid those streets that look safe and inviting but lead us straight into temptation and sin. In Proverbs 4:14-15 we read this warning: “Don’t take Wicked Bypass; don’t so much as set foot on that road. Stay clear of it; give it a wide berth. Make a detour and be on your way (MSG).“
I encourage you to click here to read Proverbs 4 in its entirety. In this chapter, Solomon, in his old age, is speaking as a father, giving advice to his son (or daughter) about the importance of seeking God’s wisdom, knowing which streets to travel and which ones to avoid.
Jesus, when speaking to his remaining eleven disciples in what is known as the Farewell Discourse (his “going away speech” in John chapters 14-17), promised that the Spirit of truth would guide them into all the truth (John 16:13). The Spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, is our source of understanding and revelation of God’s truth.
So, I encourage you to take an honest assessment of the things you do, say, eat, think about, drink, ingest, and watch, and if any of those things continually cause you to trip and fall, then ask God to have the Spirit of Truth give you the wisdom and courage to chart a new course. It is never ever too late to take a different street.
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