Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk-not as unwise people but as wise-making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-16 HCSB
I’ve often heard pastors say that we have to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. Our walk is how we live our daily lives. It’s what we present to those around us in how we live and how we handle life.
In the second part of his letter to the church at Ephesus, which begins in chapter four, Paul emphasizes the importance of how our lives should reflect all the blessings we have received. Paul is instructing the Ephesians to walk as wise people, making the most of the time they have, because the days are evil.
We must be careful about how we walk or how we live. We must be careful to do God’s will. As born-again Christians, we can’t carelessly live our lives. We must do our best to conform to God’s will and not to the ways of the world.
Romans 12:2 says we should not be conformed to this age but should be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so we may discern what the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God is.
Paul said in Galatians 5:16-18, “I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Simply put, to walk wisely is to walk in the Spirit and do your best not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. As Christians, we must not live recklessly or carelessly. We must be deliberate in obeying God’s will and living according to His commands.
When we think about strolling, we think about walking in a carefree manner. We take our time. We may even be oblivious to any danger lurking nearby. I’ve read that perpetrators tend to choose their victims by watching for those who are distracted or not paying close attention to their surroundings.
When we power walk or walk for exercise, we are determined. We have a goal in mind. We have a distance set. We try to keep a certain pace. We are walking with determination.
As Christians, we cannot afford to stroll and be oblivious to the evil that surrounds us. If we do this, we run the danger of getting caught up in it. We must be deliberate. We must be wise. We obtain wisdom by praying to God, as we are told in James 1:5. And I don’t care how smart you are or think you are, without God’s wisdom, you will do some stupid things. I am telling you this from personal experience.
Take a minute to think about how you are walking through life. Are you carelessly strolling through, just going with the flow and letting life happen to you? Or are your steps deliberate and determined? Have you determined to do your best to please God in all that you do? Do you have a goal in mind? Are you prepared to go the distance?
God wants us to have a good life here on earth, and He wants us to join Him in heaven for eternity. We do this by walking wisely. If you haven’t been walking so wisely, there is no time like the present to correct that. Turn to God. Repent and ask Him to help strengthen you against further temptation. Ask Him to help you live your life wisely with purpose and determination.
Have a great day!