WALKING CIRCUMSPECTLY

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

Eph 5:15-17

Apostle Paul’s letter to the saints in Ephesus touched on an important aspect of human life in his instructions for Christian living. He admonished them to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. This verse establishes that it’s either we walk as fools or as wise. No one can sit on the fence when it comes to this matter.

To walk circumspectly means to walk carefully and prudently. Note, being careful here does not symbolize being afraid but being cautious in one’s actions: not taking life with levity, and taking into cognizance important things of life. To walk circumspectly could also mean to walk accurately by knowing what is required of one and the willingness to do it. William Macdonald says to walk circumspectly is to live in the light of our position as God’s children.

Walking with God requires Godly wisdom to make the most of the time because the days are full of evil. Why is this so important? Time is the currency of destiny. Therefore, anything that tries to waste your time is on a mission to waste your destiny. For this reason, you must endeavor to redeem the time by understanding the will of God in every situation.

The children of Issachar were fortunate to understand this concept. They understood the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chro 12:32). I can assure you; this is one of the secrets to living a triumphant life. The children of Issachar did the right thing at the right time. They envisioned the future and invested their time in productive activities. The Bible talks about the man Issachar, “When he saw that the resting place was good and that the land was pleasant, He bowed his shoulder to bear [burdens], And became a servant at forced labor” (Gen 49:15 AMP). He never hoped for a future he didn’t invest in. He perceived the glorious future ahead of him and decided to make the most of the time to see the realization of that future.

Apostle Paul understood the importance of addressing such a crucial matter, so he included it in his letter to the saints in Ephesus. We need this admonition in this era, and every believer should be reminded of this because our lack of complete understanding of the concept of faith makes many believers fail to walk circumspectly. Many people refuse to take responsibility to see their expectations manifest, all in the name of walking by faith. They always believe that their expectations will come with or without their input. Many take it to the extreme by believing that putting effort into what you expect God to do is a sign of not having faith because God is all-powerful. While it is true that God is all-powerful and He has the ability to work out miracles with or without our involvement, He expects us to walk circumspectly like the children of Issachar.

A perfect case study is that of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. One of the common things with the ten virgins was their belief about the coming of the bridegroom. As a result, they all patiently waited for him. As we know, patience and hope are proof of faith. However, faith transcends hope and belief, which was why Apostle James said faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:17). The works here are your actions. The amplified version says, “So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead) (James 2:17 AMPC). So, your faith may not produce results if your actions do not back it up. When you truly understand the concept of faith, you will realize that faith embodies a lot of responsibilities, and it’s far from mere believing without corresponding actions.

Therefore, a lack of complete understanding of the concept of faith is one of the problems most Christians have; as a result, it has become a deterrent to walking circumspectly. Many believe in the power of God to bring to pass their expectations but lack corresponding actions to back up their belief because they do not fully understand the concept of faith. The actions required to back up your faith are signs of walking circumspectly. However, you can’t just take any action; you have to take prudent actions according to the will of God, which was why Apostle Paul further encouraged the saints in Ephesus not to be unwise but to understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph 5:17).

The wise virgins walked circumspectly. They planned carefully and prudently. They were able to think ahead and envision eventualities. Their attitude was scriptural because the Bible tells us, “A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it! (Proverbs 13:16 TLB). This act of thinking ahead is a sign that one is walking circumspectly, but unfortunately, it’s lacking in the lives of many believers. Many believe thinking ahead and making adequate plans are a form of doubt that can render our faith impotent. Such a belief is erroneous. Thinking ahead and making adequate plans is perfectly fine as we walk by faith.

The wise virgins never doubted the coming of the bridegroom even when he didn’t arrive as expected, but they had what it took to meet with him in case he arrived late. Their actions were similar to the action of Issachar, who bent his shoulder to the burden and submitted to forced labor because he envisioned the future and was ready to pay the price to see his dreams come true.

However, if God says no actions are required of you, obey Him; that is faith. God is a miracle worker. He delights in revealing Himself in various dimensions. When He speaks, obey Him without reservation. Just as His word says, “You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink (2 King 3:17), He has the ability to work out miracles without your input. Nevertheless, because God desires to see you grow, He will not always work out miracles without your corresponding actions.

In contrast, the foolish virgins also believed that the bridegroom was going to come, but unfortunately, they didn’t walk circumspectly, and their beliefs lacked corresponding actions. As a result, they were considered foolish and could not meet with the bridegroom. They believed they would meet with the bridegroom with or without their preparations. Many people are walking in this error. They are caught in the web of hoping for a bright future without the diligence of walking accurately and wisely to ensure the realization of their expected future.

Beloved, the responsibility of seeing your dreams come true lies on you, not on God. The Lord will release the grace, but your actions will give expressions to the grace of God. To be factual, the surest way to ensure your actions expresses the grace of God is by walking circumspectly. That is, walking more carefully and prudently, which involves thinking ahead, taking responsibility, and acting on one’s beliefs..

In conclusion, walking circumspectly is extremely important if we desire to see God’s name glorified through our lives. In addition, understand that walking by faith does not exempt you from thinking ahead and taking Godly and practical steps toward your expectations unless the Lord instructs you otherwise. Most importantly, ensure you understand the will of God in every situation.