When You're at a Crossroad in Life

Back in the Bible times of the Old Testament, there was a prophet named Jeremiah who wrote down a word of instruction he received from God. This divine message was intended for the people of Judah who were faced with a choice. They could go down the path of destruction or take an alternate path that would lead to peace and rest.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask where the good way is, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.’” (Jeremiah 6:16)

This passage of Scripture applies to each of lives. After all, life is a journey. And we all come to significant moments in life’s journey when we have to decide which way we are going to travel. Do we go left or right? Do we stop and rest or keep going? Do we set up camp, or pick up and move on?

Everyone goes through seasons of transition when we are feeling a little “lost” and want the assurance that the path we are on is the right one--that it will get us where we want to go with the fewest detours and potholes. The advice in this verse is simple. When you face a crossroad in life, there are three basic instructions to follow:

1. Stop and look around.

To me, this means that you need to pause and think about where you are and what you are doing. Don’t just charge ahead based upon which path seems to be easiest or most logical. There may be other important signals to pay attention to that will lead you in the right direction. We are often prone to rush forward because of our “hurry-up” lifestyle and culture. Pause. Take a breath. Maybe even say a prayer. There is wisdom in “slowing”. Pace yourself. Stop. Look around.

2. Ask which way is best.

Now I know men are typically scolded by their wives for “not asking directions.” That’s because another tendency we have is to move ahead without talking to God or to other trusted friends who may have been down this path already and could offer some good advice.

In my devotional reading today from Our Daily Bread, I was reminded that the Native Americans were the State’s first highway route engineers. With a few exceptions, most major highways follow the trails they cut through the wilderness hundreds of years before the white man came. A trail started out 12 to18 inches wide, and for safety the people followed single file. Then pack horses followed these trails, widening them. Later came wagons, and the trails became dirt roads and then highways. If they were smart, the first white men who wanted to venture into new territory asked the native indians who had been there before. They had blazed a trail already and knew which path to take.

The point is, when we follow the well-traveled paths of those that have gone before us, we have assurance that we will get to our intended destination safe and sound. Unfortunately, there are times we are prideful or stubborn and believe we can get where we want to go by blazing our own trail (doing things our own way). This is a risky choice. When faced with a crossroad, we are advised to “ask” and rely on the wisdom of those that have already been there and done that.

3. Take the good path and enjoy the results!

Once you have learned which way is best, the Lord says, “travel its path.” The result? “You will find rest for your souls.” Obviously, taking the good, Godly path—the one that leads to life—will provide you safety and security. Today’s reading from Our Daily Bread ends with this admonition: “As God’s men and women, let’s make certain we cut a righteous, wise, and clear trail. Then if ongoing generations choose to follow, the trail can become a highway—an ongoing legacy to God’s glory.”

J.T. Bean
Email: jamestbean@gmail.com 
Twitter: @58beans
YouTube Channel: JTBeanScenes

Facing Your Fears

I was watching a documentary on the Biography channel about Mel Gibson recently. No doubt his reputation in Hollywood has been badly damaged by his frequent battles with alcoholism, outrageous anti-Semitic remarks and some crazy ill-tempered phone messages released by a former girlfriend. However, there is no doubt that Gibson has been a powerful force in the movie industry; first as an actor, then as a director and producer. What I discovered by watching his biography was that his success was fueled by his willingness to take chances that few Hollywood players, even to this day, are willing to take.

I was surprised to find that Mel Gibson is considered as one of Hollywood’s most courageous filmmakers. For instance, Gibson was the first person to be awarded the People Magazine “Most Sexiest Man Alive” designation. Yet, in his directorial debut a few years later, he chose to play the lead role in which his greatest asset was badly disfigured (“The Man Without A Face”, 1993). His next acting/directing endeavor involved a little-known 13th-century Scottish warrior named William Wallace (“Braveheart”, 1995). Following that, Gibson risked failing badly with his decision when directing “The Passion of the Christ” to hire unknown actors, as well as using subtitles with a script entirely in Aramaic and Latin. These are not decisions that are considered “safe” bets in the big business of Hollywood moving making.



What was interesting to me about all this was when he was asked in an interview why he seemed inclined to embark upon such risky projects that go against the traditional blueprint for Hollywood success. In his answer he spoke of a friend who challenged him once by saying to him: “Guess what happens when you don’t take a chance?...Nothing.”

That quote stood out to me in the Gibson biography because it challenges me to adopt the same mentality. I believe there is pressure for all of us to choose the safest, less risky path because if offers us the assurance of the least possible resistance. In other words, playing it safe is easy. Taking risks requires great effort. And too often we resist that extra effort and chicken out. We take the path that requires the least out of us. And in so doing, provides us with the least opportunity to grow.

Those who are courageous are willing to face their fears, undaunted by the prospect of failure. Sure it is an option, but the rewards are deemed worth the risks. So if you don’t want more out of life...do nothing. If you don’t want to grow...do nothing. If you want to linger in disoriented mediocrity...do nothing.

But guess what happens when you take a chance?...Something...Maybe everything!

I gotta grow!

J.T. Bean

Email: jamestbean@gmail.com
Twitter: @58beans
YouTube Channel: JTBeanScenes