Out Of The Muck

“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.” (Pr 16:17 AV)

When we use the word ‘highway’, we mean the main road that is usually multi-laned and heavily traveled without traffic signs or lights to impede one’s travel.  Usually, they have on and off-ramps.  They are usually marked with mile markers and signage indicating other highways of major thoroughfares.  They are limited in the number of access points.  When the Bible uses the term, it literally means a way that is high.  This means it is a route that is elevated above its environment so weather and wear cannot affect it.   Prior to the Roman Empire and their practice of building a system of roads, the idea of constructing a permanent means of traversing from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ was the most elevated and safe way as was presently possible.  Usually, the highway was nothing more than a footpath that wound its way around the muck and mire of the wilderness floor to keep the traveler and his wares as safe as possible.  These highways were not maintained.  Rather, a course was altered if damage to the highway became evident.  At times, the highway was always there.  Like a ridge-line or a hillside.  However, if traveling the lowlands, the highway may change due to adverse conditions.  The idea here is the righteous always find the high ground to as to avoid the traps which the lowlands present.

There have been places I have hunted that remind me of the picture above.  Two come to mind.  The Finger Lakes region of central New York where I hunted was much like this.  The other was the Necedah Wildlife Refuge of central Wisconsin.  There was also a third that comes to mind and that is rabbit hunting in western New York marshlands.  What these three areas have in commons are areas of muck and water that come and go with the weather.  There were times one could walk through the woods in search of venison and go wherever one’s heart would lead.  When the ground froze then movement was not restricted.  However, if it was particularly wet and the ground still thawed, then the hunter had to plan out his route so as not to step in a mud pit or puddle that was far deeper than first imagined.  One place, in particular, stands out as I think of this highway.  Rather think woods but it was a low elevation.  So, the floor was covered in decaying leaves and muck.  The surface sort of looked like the surface of a golf ball.  Getting through that patch of woods was a chore, to say the least.  Depending on the conditions, rarely would one trace their steps two or three days in a row.  Each day of hunting meant a reassessment of the conditions and finding the highway through the woods.  The object was, to keep from fouling your boots, or worse, getting stuck in the mud that one cannot pull himself out of, you looked for the high ground.  More than once I had to pull my foot out of my boot and pull my boot from the muck because I didn’t seek the high ground.

What a picture of living a life of righteousness.  Always seek the high ground.  The Spirit also illumined to my heart the implication of the phrase, “…is to depart…”.  This would indicate the highway is constructed, discovered, and used for the express purpose of keeping from evil.  When going through the woods, I didn’t take the high ground because most of the wildlife did as well.  Turkey tracks were common in the highways going through the woods.  I did so because that muck stunk like a sewer and if it got on my boots or clothes, it was an uncomfortable ride home.  I took the highway because I learned the hard way getting one’s boots stuck in the mire caused a whole host of problems.  Pulled muscles while trying to remove them, having to walk through the muck in my socks, and even the risk of being bit by something I couldn’t see all were real consequences for ignoring the highway.  The righteous person will seek the high ground for the express purpose of safety and not for convenience.  This is a simple illustration of our processes for making decisions.  I haven’t met a hunter yet who enjoys hanging out in the muck.  So, why on earth would we do the same with sin?  We need to seek the high ground that keeps us from the filth and live above the temptations of life!