Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5: 15-17

This summer we took our grandsons to Hocking Hills State Park in central Ohio for a few days which included some hiking. It was a great time, but more than once, three young men heard one of their grandparents encouraging them to be careful as they walked across bridges with no handrails or climbed over rocks where the trail was nothing but rocks. They weren’t warned to avoid the bridge and the rocks, but to navigate them wisely.

In the passage above, Paul is encouraging his readers to give careful consideration to their own lives. Again and again, Paul contrasts between the wise and unwise action so the people understood.

The problem with people (and little boys) is that we can get complacent and sometimes we’re less careful than we should be and that can lead to disaster or at least a stumble, right?

Paul exhorted the Ephesians to make the most of their time. Why? He says “the days are evil” and I think most of us understand that losing our focus can lead us to the path of least resistance and the easy way that is often filled with real dangers for our soul.

Finally, we are to be wise, not foolish, so that we can understand the will of the Lord. This isn’t some mystical comment. The will of the Lord in this case is that we live the kind of life that reflects well on our Faith toward God and the world around us.