The Fence

Never envy evil people, but always respect the Lord. Proverbs 23:17 ERV
But test everything. Keep what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 ERV

There are times in our life when the other side of the fence seems to look better, and the grass is greener, right? I suppose it is normal, after all we are only human. That fence could be the barrier between us and something that’s not good for us. The grass may not really be that green when we get there. Truth is, we will almost always be disillusioned and disappointed in jumping that tempting fence.

What would the fence be to you? The temptation of your first alcoholic drink? Or maybe a ‘recreational drug’ to loosen you up at a party? Or smoking some weed? Or the neighbour’s wife or husband? Or maybe the work colleague that you spend as much time with as your spouse? Or to be more like your pals, going where they go and doing as they do? Sadly, it might also be that other church or pastor/preacher that seems to be more appealing. The fence is there for good reason, and we need to recognise this and treat it like the adults we are.

Here’s another home truth. Once you have jumped the fence and tasted the new, perhaps forbidden fruit, you cannot undo the jump you made, or pretend you didn’t do it when you realise that giving in to the temptation was so wrong for you. Might be a good idea to think about the others who would be affected by your actions, perhaps with a resulting loss of respect, or even their love. It could also apply to parents, a spouse, children, friends, and even those you know nothing of, who may be looking on from a safe distance. Every action has a reaction, and a consequence for either good or bad, and not always thought through in the heat of the moment. That is the difference between knowledge and wisdom. As Solomon said, “Never envy evil people, but always respect the Lord.” Always!

How Much?

We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We often don’t know what to do, but we don’t give up. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. So we constantly experience the death of Jesus in our own bodies, but this is so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

How much can you take? The best of us have a tipping point where we buckle, and can’t handle things like we normally would. Even well trained soldiers have a physical limit of endurance, and reach the point that changes their strength. Paul makes a good point here when he acknowledges that he and we, have real troubles, but are not defeated, so don’t give up, God doesn’t leave, and is not destroyed. Paul had many reasons to think he and we are not up to the task. He reminds us that in everything we suffer “Jesus can also be seen in our bodies”.

Take heart because God will not allow you to suffer temptation more than you can bear. We are talking about our Christian faith life now. There is no temptation, none, that He will not get us through and help us to escape and endure. I don’t know about you, but I find it a great comfort that God puts a limit on the devil’s schemes and temptations in my life. It’s as He said to Job about the waves (of temptation too), ‘this far and no farther’ satan. Amen to that thought.  

The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

Fame and Misfortune

RIP Whitney Houston who has died, a mere 48 years old. Most people will know at least one of her songs, and listened to this great singer at weddings and other special events. Publicly a woman who had everything, but privately a broken, and tragic figure addicted to many things including crack cocaine and alcohol. I think you will agree, a terrible waste of an amazing talent, which started in her local church. So what could have happened?

None of us can sit in judgement, as we are all subject to temptations of all kinds. The higher up the success ladder you get, the greater these temptations become, and the more likely you are to succumb. From humble beginnings in her local church choir where her obvious talent was nurtured by singing to her Lord, this same girl grew into the woman who died as a result of many wrong decisions taken along the way. It didn’t all happen overnight, and she certainly would not have seen it coming.

Sin (now there’s an old fashioned word) grows on us slowly, so that we barely recognise the downward spiral. Satan (there’s another old fashioned word) knows exactly how to push our buttons to get us to believe that the temptation we feel isn’t exactly such a bad thing after all. Cast your mind back to the account of Adam and Eve in Genesis. Wasn’t it the serpent who suggested that the forbidden fruit wasn’t such a bad thing to have after all? That same sin which has affected us all since, was entertained by our original parents only after a mild suggestion. It was not a great big temptation in their eyes, and the sin was easily rationalised. Make no mistake, the devil works the same way today, and gets the same results. In that respect, we are no different from Whitney Houston. My message is to guard your faith well, because it is constantly under attack, no matter the talents you have.