“Choose your rut with care because you are going to be in it for the next twenty miles.” This piece of advice is on a sign in a treacherous, unpaved section of the Rockies.

We all have the freedom and responsibility to make choices. We do choose the ruts in which we walk. Sincere concern and prayerful thought should precede our choices.

We are quick to say, “He/she is just in a rut!” This is usually not meant to be a compliment. It is unfortunate that in the minds of most of us, ruts are considered bad news. There are good ruts in which we can walk –––honesty, justice, compassion and unselfishness to name a few. To walk in the right ruts is not easy. As we choose our ruts we make choices that can be our personal curses or our personal blessings.

Let me suggest several ruts, which make life worth living. It is so easy today to become a victim of cynicism as you view the world picture. A Chinese official was being shown the latest advances in X-ray equipment. “You can see all the bones in the body,” said the guide. “Ah,” the Chinese said, ‘” But you cannot see the heart.” The Christian faith reminds us to see the heart in life–––to look at the optimistic view of life.

The rut of disciplined living is a good path to walk daily. A sense of order–––organizing the use of our time, energies and abilities provides us with the opportunity of achieving much in life.

The rut of keeping mentally alert––growing in our minds is an absolute need of every person at any age in life.

The ROTARIAN magazine carried this little paradoxical statement: “The person who would like to make his dreams come true must stay awake!” One other rut, which makes sense, is the rut of thinking for yourself. Beware of “crowd opinion,” or “herd judgment.” Use the mind God has given you completely. The best guideline we have at this point is to strive to pattern our minds after the mind and spirit of Jesus Christ.

Remember to choose with care the ruts in which you walk. They can prove to be a blessing or a stumbling block to your life and your influence on others.