Keep It Between the Ditches

Steve Boots
10 minutes ago
2 min read

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Romans 10:2

There are dozens of ways people try to encourage one another when they’re heading out on a trip or beginning a new task. Phrases like “Good luck,” “You’ve got this,” or even the old classic “Break a leg” are meant to offer support. My dad had his own version—one I still hear echoing in my mind today. Many times, when we are leaving his house to head back home, he says, “Keep it between the ditches.” He means it literally—keep the car on the road, avoid the edges, and you’ll make it home safely. But the longer I’ve lived, the more I’ve realized that his simple phrase carries a deep spiritual truth as well. On the Christian road —the straight and narrow path Jesus talked about—there are ditches on both sides. And if we aren’t careful, zeal or carelessness can push us into either one.

One ditch is carelessness toward sin. It’s easy to grow soft, to justify small compromises, and to excuse attitudes that don’t honor Christ. Drifting rarely feels dramatic, and many times it’s almost imperceptible. Before long, we find ourselves far from where we intended to be, wondering how we got there.

But there’s a ditch on the other side of the road as well—misguided zeal. That’s what Paul described in Romans 10. He remembered what it was like to have passion without understanding. In Philippians 3:6, he admits, “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church…” Paul wasn’t apathetic. He wasn’t spiritually lazy. He was fired up, but he was pointed in the wrong direction. His zeal lacked the anchor of knowledge, humility, and love. And in his sincerity, he hurt the very people God loved. Both ditches are dangerous. Both pull us off the road God wants us on.

So how do we keep it between the ditches spiritually? By letting God’s Word shape our convictions and by letting the Holy Spirit guide our attitudes. Zeal is a good thing when it flows from truth. Grace is a good thing when it’s anchored in holiness. The Christian life is not about swerving wildly from one extreme to another—it’s about steady, faithful obedience. Every day, we have the choice to drift, to overcorrect, or to walk wisely. Ask God to give you a heart that burns with passion according to knowledge, a spirit tender toward holiness, and a life guided by both truth and love. And remember my dad’s advice. Keep it between the ditches.