Deuteronomy 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.

Deuteronomy 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them.

Both children and adults search for “heroes” and people of influence to admire, to follow, and to please. People want to belong and to feel accepted by peers. Peer pressure gains control when the desire to “fit in” is stronger than the desire to please God. No one wants to be rejected or be in conflict with the group. In reality, there will be times when those who follow Christ will have to take “The Road Less Traveled” (Robert Frost).

God wants to be first in our lives. This does not mean we have to give up friends and position. Instead, we are to be His hand extended by being a great friend to others and by being a positive influence to the group. This works wonderfully if your group wants to do the right thing. However, if your group is bent on going toward the path that displeases God, you are instantly placed in the crossroad position of having to choose which road you will follow.

Life can be difficult; choices are often unpleasant and stretching. Deuteronomy 11:16 warns us that our heart can be deceived; that we can lose our way and follow other gods without realizing that we have left our path. Remember, as the prodigal son came to his senses, he turned back to his father’s house. This is the answer to our wandering. When we begin to see the deceit and error of our ways, we can quickly turn toward our Heavenly Father who understands our wanderings, our gullibility, and our failures. He is waiting to restore us back to the path He designed for us. His love is great and unconditional. He is waiting with open arms to set our hearts right.

Dear God, Create in me a clean heart and renew in me a right spirit. I choose to follow you with an undivided heart.