Avoiding the pitfalls

Steve saw a pair of cowboy boots sitting on one of the tables downstairs at church and decided he would try them on to see if they fit. So he pulled up a chair and sat down. As he leaned back the chair collapsed under him and he went flying. If he hadn't banged his head, it might have been funny.

As we came running to see what happened, we noticed right away that two of the legs had popped out from under the chair and that was the cause of the calamity. Steve didn't even consider the state of the chair when he decided to try on the boots. All he was thinking about was whether or not the boot would fit.

It made think about the number of times I had rushed into something without thinking about the consequences. We all do it. We focus on something we want without thinking everything through. Most of the time we get away with it because there isn't much at stake. But sometimes there can be disastrous results.

I think that is where the Scriptures come in handy. In his wisdom, God has laid down his statutes in order to save us from making bad mistakes, mistakes that will end up hurting us. When God says don't do something, it comes from a wealth of experience and understand that we don't have. After all, he is the creator. He understands how life works and how fragile we really are.

So we need to think twice before we act. We need to look to the Scriptures to find guidance and direction. That will keep us on the right path and help us avoid unnecessary pain.

Cal