If you live the Orthodox Way, you are well-equipped with a compass and a map for orienting yourself and finding your direction every step of every day. Each day you make a series of choices. Some of these choices involve deciding among a series of good options instead of decision between good and evil. Other choices are decisions between what is good and what is evil, what nurtures life and fosters death, what draws harmony and peace and what invites chaos and confusion. The more you acquire the mind of the Church and the heart of the Saints, the more you will be able to make beneficial decisions and outwardly do good for the benefit of yourself and others. When you feel like reacting to a situation because your passions and emotions trouble you, calm yourself, determine the direction you should take, and respond carefully. Do not be rash to storm down a path without figuring out whether that path will ultimately take you to a dark place you do not want to go.
The path of life may take you to secluded places where you, alone, must drawl from what you know, Whom you know, and who you have already prepared to become. Often, the path of life is more like walking down a noisy city street than a quiet forest path. Here, the residents are ignorant of the Way and may even show hostility to your Faith because it contradicts their own beliefs and lifestyles. You will encounter people who may be nice and well-meaning, like the Lotus Eaters, but who will try to convince you to stray from the Way that leads toward your true potential, purpose, and the kingdom where your heart belongs. Beware of the deception of others, both intentional and unintentional due to ignorance.
Avoid self-isolation. Remember that you are not alone. Your Priest is a both guide and fellow-traveler, along with your other companions, your brothers and sisters in Christ, spiritually bound together in a shared Orthodox Faith and life. We are all going in the same direction toward the same destination on a single quest. Together, let us all support and help one another stay on the Path of Life. Intentionally surround yourself with good, faithful, committed fellow travelers dedicated to the Way. There is safety in numbers as long as you keep good company.
Read: Proverbs 9.1-18; Matthew 7.15; 10.16; 1 Corinthians 3.1-23; Ephesians 2.19; 1 Peter 2.1-25
Text copyright © 2018 by Fr. Symeon D. S. Kees