Monday, June 12, 2006 - How Close?
I am 31 years old but I truly am a kid at heart! I was recently at a friends house and was getting ready to bounce on their trampoline. The only instruction was to stay away from the one side because they are storing their canoe underneath and an adult, such as myself, would hit the boat. Children don't weigh enough to make the trampoline go down and is therefore not a problem for them.
I wasn't paying attention. I knew that I should stay away from that one particular area to save myself from harm. But I drifted. I thought I was ok. Even though I was close, I thought I could control my jumping. I was wrong. I jumped and got too close. I hit the boat and could have seriously hurt myself if I had been bouncing harder. But it did stop me in my tracks.
Later I thought about my bouncing experience on the trampoline and thought about how much that experience is like the Christian walk. We know where the dangers are. We are warned through God's Word what the natural consequences would be if we disobey. But, just like me on the trampoline, we think we are just fine. We can keep it under control. And besides, it doesn't look dangerous; there can't be any harm.
My friend didn't want to see me hurt. She warned me of where the boat was and that if I bounced overtop of it, I would get hurt. She told me of the natural consequences. God does the same thing. He doesn't want to see us hurt and that is why He sets up guidelines and warnings. But sometimes we are just too stupid, prideful and arrogant to listen and obey.
How many times do I want to "ride the fence" on an issue? "It isn't hurting anyone." "It won't bother me." "I can keep this sin under control." Why is it that as Christians we want to see how close we can get to the world without actually crossing the line into sin? We will drift. Instead, why don't we ask how close can I get to God?
"...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." I John 2:15
Comments
Monday, June 12, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Prncsstefy
Ouch!
But what a good analogy!
Monday, June 12, 2006 - Homemade Parable.
Posted by babymakers
I am going to steal this lesson from you and repeat it to my children.
