Easy Access Roads

12/13/25

There are many kinds of roads in this world. There are dirt roads with grass growing down the middle, where the sign beside it says, ‘minimum maintenance, travel at your own risk’. There are the ‘everyday’ graveled roads that many live along, the local paved roads, the state highways, and finally the big interstates with their high speeds. In the world of travel, each kind of road has its place in the vast network of roadways. Some are for the people who want to arrive fast, some are for the ones who want to view the scenery. Some are built for anyone, some have limited access.

Lots of the big highways today have on and off ramps, making them fairly easy to access when you're driving a regular vehicle. Easy on: as you accelerate up the ramp to the highway with precautionary glances at oncoming traffic, it is not hard to blend in with the flow of vehicles hurrying onward. If you match your pace with the general flow of traffic around you, you can even be lulled into a somewhat relaxed, almost half-conscious state if you are not careful. Many of today's vehicles are equipped with options that make it even easier for a driver to be eased into a state of un-alertness. As for leaving these busy thoroughfares, the idea is that it should be just as easy to take an exit ramp as an on ramp. However, it is not always so. You can be planning to take the next exit, and suddenly, because of fast highway speeds, the exit has approached more quickly than you expected. And you miss it. Or, as it approaches, you see that, for some reason known or unknown to you, it has been closed. Or, possibly you find yourself stuck in the passing lane, unable to move over because of too much traffic. And quickly you are swept along with the swift flow of traffic. You are discovering that it simply isn't as easy to exit this busy thoroughfare as it was to join the fast moving throng.

Or maybe it's a busy intersection that you've approached. The direction you need to go causes you feelings of trepidation as you scan the others coming and going. Should you simply make a dash for it, and hope to get across safely? The way of least resistance would be to turn and go with the flow of traffic, (which actually is the opposite direction that you need to go), and hope for a turn around spot up ahead. Or one could simply just wait patiently until the right time came along- a safe break in the nearly steady flow of traffic.

I see that we are each one in the flow of traffic somewhere, sometime, all the time. As we are born into the world, we are given a journey to travel. We are not really handed a detailed plan for the journey, however, we do have the precious Word of God to guide us. Each of our roads are different in many ways, yet ultimately God would have each one lead us to a glorious, shining city as our destination. Sometimes, as humans, we find ourselves getting lulled into a sort of complacency where we are just cruising along. Wrecks and tragedies along the way jolt us out of that dangerous sleepy condition. Sometimes we come to places where the above mentioned busy thoroughfares cross over our humble roads. As we look up from a little distance, at the traffic zooming over us, it is so tempting to want to take those easy on ramps, access that interstate, and make some time! After all, if you see the amount of cars traveling that big highway, you think it must surely be okay. It seems justifiable. Will the devil be successful in tempting us into the fast paced, high pressure worldly realm that is regulated by the cares and fashions of the ones around us? Or will we be content to travel our humble road, where the souls of like precious faith gather around us, and we are blessed for denying the pleasures and ease of the world?

Sometimes our journey intersects more closely with the passersby, and perhaps even travels together with them at times, giving us the opportunity to show others the blessings of a humble, committed life. This can be a glorious blessing when fulfilled as unto the Lord. We must be cautious against allowing ourselves even just a tiny taste of the life that would so easily deceive us into thinking it was the right course. Using the easiest access roads and going the way of least resistance may feel okay and look appealing at first. These roads are lined beautifully with attractive scenery and make you feel comfortable and warm inside as you start down them. But if you are keen, really keen to the Spirit, you will hear a gentle Voice telling you which way you really should go.

Isaiah 30:21

[21] and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Sometimes we can be tempted to take the easiest roads, even though it is just in our minds. Our outward road looks the same to everyone else but inwardly we are being tempted to think thoughts that would take us down dark and dimly lit paths. The devil is so wickedly deceptive that he even tries to make these dark paths, where our thoughts are negative, critical and sometimes full of offence, appear as though they are easily accessible and therefore, right and justifiable. The noises of the world around us are contributing factors to the dark confusion that swirls around us. But when we are quiet and still, when we really want the path that God has for us, we will hear that Voice whispering, this is the way. We must choose to take this path that will bring peace and light and hope to our hearts. Peace and light and hope that can shine out of our hearts to the crying world around us.

The easiest roads and most accessible roads are not the path to heaven. God never intended life down here to be smooth sailing. However, our human nature would surely like to have it always just a little easier. The rewards of the journey will come at the end of the climb. In the meantime, we want to live joyfully, and spread the good news of hope and light to the world around us.

Robyn Schultz

12/10/25