LightGrams
April 5, 2018
Volume 22, Number 13
A campfire can be hypnotic. Young children must be carefully watched as they stand before such a fire. Those too young to realize the dangers of fire may play with something that will lead to great harm.
A man near Fresno, California was recently caught on video doing something similar to playing with fire. A motorist filmed the craziness of this bicyclist who had grabbed onto the back of a tractor-trailer rig traveling on Highway 99 at a high speed. To make the situation even more dangerous, the cyclist was not even wearing a helmet (though we’re not sure a helmet would help much in a crash at that speed).
“What was that guy thinking?!” we naturally wonder. Maybe a better question would be, “Was that guy thinking, or was he under the influence of some powerful drug?” Either way, he was definitely playing with fire. Probably, my next disclaimer is unnecessary: Don’t try this at home!
You don’t have to hitch your bike to a speeding truck to reap tragedy. Hosea wrote about the lives God’s people were living: “They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind” (Hosea 8:7). His point is clear: When we live in violation of God’s will in order to experience pleasures and thrills, we’re headed for disaster.
Similar wise counsel is found in Proverbs 6:27-29: “Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared? So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her shall not be innocent.”
People often try to dismiss such relationships as “flings”, “indiscretions”, or “affairs”. One man several years ago defended his infidelity by pleading what he thought was obvious: “God wants me to be happy.” I believe that God does want us to be happy, but that doesn’t release us from carefully following His commandments.
Moses stated a truth long ago that we need to know: “And the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 6:24). “… for our good always”
Children will become angry if they’re not allowed to play in the campfire. Should we value their happiness more than their safety and well-being? A good parent knows that doing whatever is necessary to keep their child happy will eventually lead to disaster.
When we’re tempted to latch onto some fast-moving temptation in order to experience a thrill, let’s pause to remember why Jesus came: “… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2018, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
Permission to reproduce and/or use the messages for noncommercial purposes is freely granted provided the messages are not altered.