Our 23rd Word is Walk
The common definition is – to move steadily by foot, or figuratively, to conduct one’s self in a certain way.
“He forsook the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk in obedience to him.” (2 Kings 21:22)
If you had say 19 of anything, vacations, jobs, coworkers, apples, so on, wouldn’t you think at least one of them to be good, or at the very least, so-so? Nobody goes zero for 19, right?
Wrong.
From 931 BC when Israel split into two kingdoms after the death of Solomon, to 722 BC, when the Assyrians invaded, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was ruled by 19 evil kings in a row. 19!
The Southern kingdom of Judah fare slightly better and therefore lasted a little while longer. Out of 20 kings, they had eight who the Bible says “walked” in obedience to God.
By the way, “walking” with God wasn’t just a requirement for Israel’s leaders. It was a command for all God’s people. (Deuteronomy 8:6)
The common Old Testament Hebrew word translated ‘walk” means just what we think: to move in a certain direction by putting one foot in front of the other. In the Bible, however, “walking” is often figurative. It refers metaphorically to a person’s conduct or manner of life. To walk is to behave in a certain way. According to the Bible, it’s possible to “walk righteously” (Isaiah 33:15). It’s also possible to walk “with falsehood” (Job 31:5) and in “dark ways” (Proverbs 2:13).
We sometimes might say things like, “If you’re not careful, you’re going to end up where you’re headed!” As cheesy as statements like that are, there’s a truckload of truth behind them. The fact is, at any given moment, one’s life does have a trajectory. By the choices we make and the actions we take, we are moving in a certain direction. We’re all walking somewhere!
The person who walks with honesty will ultimately gain a reputation for integrity. The person who goes down a path of duplicity will never end up in a place of honor.
This is why Paul urged in the New Testament, “Be careful how you walk.” and “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10).
Clearly the walking he was referring to has more to do with our hearts than with our feet.
Anyone who’s ever tried to stumble to the bathroom at night knows how dangerous it can be to walk in darkness. Spiritually speaking, the good news, according to the apostle John, is that ample light is available to believers (1 John 1: 6-7). And wrong, dark paths can be abandoned.
The gospel means we can learn to walk in new ways (Romans 6:4).
Questions to Ponder
- Why do you think the Bible refers to the spiritual life as a “walk,” or as “walking with God”?
- How does one do that?
- Do you need to find better ways to “walk with God” in your life?
- Is there someone in your life who is “walking” down the wrong path? How can you help them to back on the right walking path?
No Thought Police 