"Sometimes a way seems right to a man but the end of it leads to death!" (Proverbs 14:12).
It sometimes appears to man that the path of the godless is right for he sees that the godless obtains riches and succeeds. O, if it where only given to him to see the end of that path! He would be horrified and would never tread on that path.
If the end of a path terminates in destruction, can it be the right path? Therefore, O man, do not say that one path is right if you do not see its end. You ask: "How could I, a weak and shortsighted man, perceive the end of a long path?" In two ways: by reading Holy Scripture through the experience of the Orthodox Church and by observing the end of the path of life of those around you and those who die before you. However, the first path is the more reliable path and if you adhere to it, know that you will not stumble into the night of eternal death. Only that path is right which is shown by God as right. All other paths that appear as right to your mind and do not coincide with the path of God are wrong and are deadly.
Behold, even the beasts have their paths but would you travel those paths if they seemed right to you? Do not go, for in the end you will fall into the hungry jaws of the beasts. And the path shown by God, even if it appears wrong to you, is right - therefore travel by it. Because of our sins, the path of God occasionally seems wrong to us. If we were without sin and if our mind was not distorted by sin it would not be possible for us, even for a moment, to conceive that another path would be right except God's path. To a distorted mind many wrong paths seem right and the only right path as being wrong.
O All-seeing Lord, our Guide, correct our mind so as not to be detained on the wrong paths. Jesus, You are the only Path, Truth and Life and that which we fantasize apart from You is the wrong way, a lie and death.
To You be glory and thanks always.
Amen.
