2 July | Youth

The Best Path

«For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him.» Isaiah 28:26

The classic movie The Wizard of Oz tells the story of a girl named Dorothy, who is swept away by a whirlwind to an enchanted land. There she meets three characters, who, in a way, represent her indecisions: the Tin Man, who needs a heart, the Cowardly Lion, who needs courage, and the Scarecrow, who needs a brain. For me, this last character is the most interesting, because, through him, many important lessons are shared.

Every time the Scarecrow speaks in the film, he doesn't speak about himself. Dorothy encourages him to give his opinion. At one point, she takes the hat off his head and is amazed: “But there’s only trash there!” The Scarecrow responds: “There are a lot of people like that!”

In fact, there are a lot of people out there who keep “junk” in their minds. Most people are unaware that making their heads a reservoir of what is no good determines their life choices.

Brain junk accumulates through what we hear, read and see. These small everyday choices interfere with the big decisions in life. A small concession here, another there… It all seems so insignificant, but behind it is the enemy whispering: “Go ahead, don’t miss this dirty joke.” “Come on, enter this website. You can fix everything later. It’s not such a serious thing!”

Understand: everything you hear, read, or see brings you closer to God or takes you further from Him. The human brain, with just over one kilogram of neural cells, controls the central nervous system, regulates the body's basic functions and governs the body's reactions. It is programmed to react. Therefore, each choice affects the next. At all times, we are called to make decisions that involve our family, our job, our responsibilities, the use of our time and our spiritual life.

The decision to obey is not sudden, but the result of a constant process of choosing what is right. Believe me: repeating an action creates connections for obedience. If you allow it, the Lord will impress upon your mind an unceasing flow of His will. This way, you will respond with obedience and continue happily on the right path.