Ahhh! The season of travel is upon us. The songbirds accompanying our venture, the sun is shining. If you’re in a convertible or on your bike, the wind is in your hair. Smiles abound. 
Until. Until you run into that dreaded fork in the road. You know what I’m talking about. Yes, you’d rather I not mention it. In fact, I prefer not to run into them either. Yet, here we are. And now which way?
I kind of suspected this would happen, and so did you; and honestly all I wanted to discuss in this blog today was to talk about tire pressure. But since you and I are here let’s talk of the one ahead of the other. Although I do find they are both equally important. For life.
Have you ever come to that dreaded fork-in-the-road and wondered what to do? Which way to take? Probably so. We have all had to face this predicament, at least once. Do you remember which way you took? Are you still on it, or have you gotten some regrets from the seemingly wrong choice? Now, if as a reader you’re not familiar with the term, a fork in the road is a junction in which one road becomes two divergent roads. They both start off well enough in that they’re similar (in that they’re both paths) however, they do accordingly develop into different directions.
Are you by chance facing one now? I seem to frequent these pretty often. The problem is I never recognize them ahead of time to be able to avoid one. There’s one in particular I would like to discuss. Not just any old junction, but one that’s familiar because you’d actually been to this place many times as well. And the outcome was, probably the same.
I know many authors discuss the all too familiar story line with either taking the difficult road that builds character, or the one where you take the road of least resistance and find your way paved with peace and purpose. I’d rather you be thinking that this particular “cross road” experience is much more than just a simple dilemma. Much more than just the choosing and taking our chances. These unpaved pathways have much to teach us.
There’s a lot of pressure just talking about this today. In fact, we tire at the thought of what lies ahead. This is why I’ve entitled this blog as ‘tire pressure’. Mental exhaustion before ever taking one step. The thought of just knowing what to expect because we’d been here before. We’ve heard all around what everyone else has to say about the road and how they “hoped that this time won’t be like last time”. Because we reassured ourselves too (quite defiantly) that this is the last time.
We all, from very early on in life are confused at such points ahead but know we have to face them. I’m not saying we always aware of this place, because it is easily unrecognizable. Just like anyone, I rarely recognize one, but have to admit having been there often, I’m learning to see its unique distinctions; its characteristics. The values they each contain.
Two views are in play here. There is the natural way of seeing the divergent roads, and the more supernatural, or Christ-centered way of seeing such a juncture. My reason to mention that is because “Forks” do in fact have 4 tines generally for either piercing or scooping food, and so I’m utilizing the example of two sides of the fork for demonstration only.
The one fork that is uphill and to the right is often familiar to those in the business world, and the other might lead toward The Valley of Decision (which is probably more downward since that’s where valleys are).
In discussing the uphill fork or road, John Maxwell often states ‘Anything worthwhile is always uphill’ and the fact is, that we’re always going uphill. If in the natural decision-making you decide on this, don’t just make it an upward momentum, setting arbitrary numbers for yourself and then when you don’t make them in a certain amount of time you consider yourself a failure. That’s really tiring, and that’s a lot of daily pressure. So is that the type of road to take? Perhaps. Because nobody with driving ambitions really likes to go downhill either – even though there’s less resistance; and sounds easier since it eliminates unnecessary struggles.
That’s the 1st way we’d have to choose if we’re just considering this from a natural perspective. And that’s pretty tough for all of us.
Now, let’s look at the 2nd set of roads for this ‘Fork’. I’d like to mention these are not the roads of “familiarity breeding contempt”. Possibly you and I have been on those roads enough already. The road “leading up” is quite similar to the one Caleb decided would be his inheritance (Joshua 14:10-12). It was rugged, had giant enemies, and contained various gauntlets. He didn’t choose this when he was young and strongest. He was 80. Had been faithful to the Lord for over 40 years while his countrymen were perishing in the wilderness. Even after crossing the Jordan his battles were always uphill, but he knew, he knew that the road that would lie ahead for generations to come – would be to their benefit, and so he endured.
Uphill roads, regardless of world view (natural or supernatural) carry two features, or values called Difficulties and Determination. Every uphill roads’ pathway should contain enough of these so that you will build character, for sure. The only difference is, if you seek the self-determined momentum of this world you’ll be disappointed at often never meeting those arbitrary metrics. Momentum on these hills often hide how relationally you lessen the respect and trust of others along the way because – familiarity breeds contempt!
The other possible road or fork, the one going downhill (regardless of world-view, natural or Christ centered) contains the values of Cost and Crisis. These two hardships like to meet you at every turn, every day. From the supernatural side of the ‘fork’ Jesus even outlined this particular road in His Gospels (Luke 10:25-37) describing to a crowd how a neighbor shows compassion and mercy to a person in need, regardless of their background or beliefs. A story of a man who maybe also was at a crossroad of life, went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Eventually robbed, beaten, and left for dead. A priest, then a Levite pass by without helping him, but a Samaritan, who was traditionally seen as an outsider by Jews, stops to help.
Cost and Crisis. Even for a believer is not everyone’s cup of tea. In overview, maybe what God is teaching me, and maybe teaching you is that it’s not the one road, you decide on as over against the other. That’s pressure. And you tire of that pressure. To the other side, you must choose to follow. It’s rather, the one in which He would have you follow Him on. Jesus in His initial call to us was – to “follow Me”.
Another thing I’ve come to see about the more supernatural side to this position is that with the road leading up, you get to sow along the way, which means that along with all those difficulties future generations will be able to eat of the harvest of determination. Add to that in going downward as did the Samaritan, there’s the value of being able to dispense. The things that cost us in the midst of crisis, we dispense for the sake of others. When others can reap value without having to go through but learn experientially, then you’ve dispensed wisdom.
In conclusion, seeing the greater purpose in how He is ahead of the choice, we are always to choose Him, not the tension of which road leads where. Also, Christ will not decide for us, but He is ahead of our going. He’s been leading us by our quiet times and our scriptures we’ve lately been weighted with because He has something to show you and I, if we would but follow.
The illustration from Genesis 3:22-24, surrounding the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life teaches that the desire to know is in direct opposition to the desire to trust. We’d rather gain some knowledge to try and control the path ahead, than to trust God to take care of us.
Listen, I cannot guarantee you a sunny day along the way or wind blowing in your sails. But I know you don’t have to tire in facing in the “insurmountables”, and you shouldn’t have to feel pressured to decide rightly. I get it. We have to make decisions. But with trust comes vision. Vision helps you to see faster. Vision helps you to see farther of what’s really ahead. Travel well. Thanks for reading, have the best day ever!
🫶🏼❤️🫶🏼