Psalm 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Do not be mislead to think that the plural paths here means more than one path. There is only one path to righteousness and that is found in faith in Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew words used here translated as plural is because of its origin, referring to wagon wheels. The entrenchment or ruts formed by the use of a road produces two tracks.

Even if you were to see God’s will as being one of three options, good, acceptable, or perfect, you would still be in His will and not opposed to it.

Just because we walk outside God’s will, that still does not change our righteousness. We will lose our peace, have our conscience prick, might even go so far as to receive chastening and correction. That does not mean we have lost our righteousness.

Righteousness is a right standing with God. It is not based on who we are and what we do. It is based on who Christ is and what Christ has done.

Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Also, ruts help keep our wheels on track.

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

I’ve been trying to walk worthy for some time now. I really am trying. Today I was paid respect by someone nearly my age. I felt embarrassed and made a mild joke about it. I realized afterwards that I was not honoring the respect given. I felt bad about it, but I am not used to receiving respect, even after all these years.

In a former life I was not worthy of respect. I was a selfish sinner, to say the least. When you live that sinful life you get used to the avoidance, the lack of respect. I’ve changed, I am not that man any longer and the people that respect me now never knew that other guy. They don’t have to find a way to forgive and forget hurt, because I have not hurt these people.

I need to learn how to accept respect with humility and not with humor. I do not presently know anyone who was part of that former life. If I ran into them, I don’t know if they would see me as I am. Would I see them for who they are now.

Perhaps the hardest people to be around is family. They knew me from a child and were part of my shady history. Most know I’ve changed but it doesn’t matter to them, I am still family and while they might love me, respect isn’t given.

Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

So Jesus knows how I feel.