Romans 3:16: In Their Paths Are Ruin And Misery

Romans 3:16
[16] in their paths are ruin and misery, (ESV)

I remember the night well. I was a young father and my wife needed to go somewhere. I  was at home with my sweet two year old. I was doing something important I recall, probably playing video games or watching football. My daughter was surely fine, because I heard no crying. In fact, I heard nothing at all. I was feeling confident in my parenting skills.

At some point I got out of my comfortable chair and made my way down the hall. After all, I should at least check out how my sweet, perfect daughter was doing. And then I saw it. I am sure that in my daughter's mind she had created a masterpiece. with a black pen in one hand and a crayon in the other she had created an un-commissioned work of art on the entire wall in the hallway.

Every squiggled line was evidence of her misbehavior. There was no getting around it. Mankind has similar evidences. All throughout history we can look where man has gone. We can see what man has done. As Paul says, "In their paths are ruin and misery." All you have to do is look back. You will see that what man has touched man has destroyed.

God gave us a perfect world. Man chose sin. In that fateful choice every generation of mankind has been cursed with drawing squiggled lines on the un-commissioned artwork of history. Murders, deceptions, theft, abuse, pride, sexual deviancy, and abuse of every kind. There is no escaping it. The paths are well known. What man has touched man has destroyed.

I am thankful that God sent his Son, Jesus, to bring redemption to a depraved humanity. I brought forgiveness to my tearful daughter that night long ago, but far more importantly Christ has brought forgiveness to all of mankind who will simply receive it by faith.