Walk This Way

Have you noticed the Bible has a lot to say about walking? The Scriptures consistently contrast the ways we should or should not “walk” as we navigate our daily lives and ministry.

As missionaries, we always have plenty of good work to do, and it’s easy to rush from one thing to the next trying to get as much done as possible. But God is not impressed with how busy we are. Of course, God cares about what we do, but He cares just as much about how we do it. He cares about our character. I’m sure you’ve heard stories of Christian leaders who were busy building ministries and doing amazing things for God, but behind the scenes, their lives were in shambles.

We all need reminders of how to walk in a way that’s worthy of our calling. I recently shared a devotional from Ephesians with our Jews for Jesus staff. I hope it will encourage you to pray for our walk with the Lord, and maybe you will also find a timely word for your own walk.

In Ephesians 2, Paul talks about not walking as the world walks, as we did before we were born into the new life we have in Jesus. In chapter 4, he talks about not walking as those given over to sensuality and greed, referring to the pagans of that time. Similarly, in chapter 5, Paul warns against walking in darkness, which includes sexual immorality, covetousness, coarse talk, and other such behaviors. It’s important for us to remember how not to walk.

But the main focus of this devotional is how to walk, and from Ephesians 5:15–17: “See then that you walk circumspectly [often translated ‘carefully’], not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” So, what can we take away from this passage?

Walk Carefully

As I was growing up in Seattle, every spring, stinging nettles would encroach on a path through our backyard. Where we stepped mattered, and if we weren’t careful, we’d get a painful surprise. And so we’d have to stop what we were doing to address the pain and the toxic effects of the nettles. That memory comes to mind when I think about walking carefully.

The Greek word that’s translated “circumspectly” or “carefully” is akribós, which emphasizes exactness. That carefulness—that exacting intentionality about our path—should be the daily reality of life and ministry. We should be alert to avoid whatever might impair us from walking in the good works that God has prepared for us (see Ephesians 2:10). What good works are we to walk in? The Hebrew Scriptures talk about walking in God’s statutes (Leviticus 26:3–4). Yeshua summed up those statutes in two commandments: to love God with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we want to have the joy of pleasing God, we must be careful not only to do His work, but to do it out of love.

Walk Wisely

Paul also tells us to walk wisely, not foolishly. The Greek word used here is sophos—wisdom—which is learned and taught. Wisdom makes us teachable and open to correction.

Proverbs contrasts the wise with fools. Fools do not learn. They are wise in their own eyes, but they are deluded. Because they refuse correction and don’t think they have anything to learn, they wander through the wrong places and are eventually lured by folly to destruction.

Jesus exemplified wisdom for us. He was tempted by the enemy to walk a foolish path. Satan tried to deceive Him away from trusting and obeying the Father. Jesus recognized and resisted the temptation by quoting the Scriptures. That was wisdom. Let us also be anchored in God’s Word, a tree of life bringing peace to those who keep it. As ministers of the gospel, we are eager to share God’s Word with unbelievers, but wisdom grows when it’s reinforced by those who are closest to us. Take time to exchange insights from Scripture with the believers in your life.

Walk Urgently

Years ago, I was getting lunch from a sidewalk vendor in Brooklyn when I noticed a toddler just a step or two ahead of his mother who was talking to her friend. In a split second, he bolted, running straight toward the traffic where cars were flying by. Someone screamed, “Your child!” The woman yelled at the top of her lungs and rushed to her child. She grabbed him just in the nick of time as cars screeched to a halt. She sank down on her knees in the middle of the street, holding her child, sobbing. It was an image of urgency I’ll never forget.

We need to experience that same sense of urgency when Paul tells us to redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15–16). To redeem the time literally means to buy it back, but it’s commonly understood as making the best possible use of the time. This does not necessarily convey urgency until we see the reason: because the days are evil. The Greek term for evil, poneros, conveys a wicked desire to do harm.

This spiritual dynamic of evil is pervasive and poses a powerful threat. We’ve seen evil openly paraded around the world, and it should compel us to act with urgency, just as Jesus did.

Matthew 9:36 describes Jesus’ compassion for the harassed and helpless crowds, likening them to vulnerable sheep without a shepherd. That has not changed. Like the child who had no idea about the consequences of running into traffic, the majority of our people have no idea that without Jesus, they are running to the ultimate danger: an eternity cut off from all the goodness and grace that makes life worth living. His saving grace is the only hope for anyone, Jewish or Gentile, in these evil days.

We often speak of this urgency as a passion for the lost. It’s only natural that there will be days when some of us might not feel it; but we walk by faith, not by feelings. It’s good to know that friends like you are standing with us. I would be so encouraged if you would drop us a line to say that you are praying for us, that we would walk carefully, wisely, and urgently as we pursue God’s plan of salvation for the Jewish people. Together, let’s keep the gospel vibrant in our hearts and encourage one another to make the most of the remaining time that we have to reach people for Jesus.