Articles
Knowing Our Weaknesses
Ever watch one of those videos, where somebody drastically underestimates the outcome of a situation, such as someone my size and age getting on a child's swing set and seeing just how high they can swing. That scenario is only as strong as the weakest link, like the chain or the little plastic seat, or gravity. People, including you and me, don't always think things through before doing them. Some might land us on America's Funniest Home Videos, others can scar us physically and even spiritually for life.
From a spiritual point of view, things we sometimes do as weak human beings, are also governed by our weakest link. Do we know what our weak links are? For some people, it may be a problem with alcohol. For others, it might be pornography. For some, perhaps it's forsaking the assemblies in-lieu of leisure activities. Maybe some people have problems with lust, pride, greed, envy, covetousness, idolatry. The list of possibilities are endless, but most of us know what we sometimes struggle with and what is hardest to fend off.
So the question for our consideration today, in hopes of encouraging all of us to pursue the most Godly life we can, is do we filter in our knowledge of our weakest link(s) when we consider what we will do, where we will do it and with whom? Do we skate right up to the edge of the ice, or do we stay far away from temptations that we know we will struggle with the most?
1 Thessalonians 5:22, tells us to "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." It's no secret that being around good people who do good things prompt us to be good people who do good things. It's also no secret that the exact opposite is just as true. Paul says, “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself” (Romans 14:7). We are influential, and we are easily influenced.
In the Old Testament, we see God repeatedly telling His people not to marry people who did evil, sometimes identifying them by their citizenship in general. God knew they were evil, and to keep His people from becoming just like them, He forbid inter-marrying. Yet, we see instances, King Solomon in particular, who didn't listen. God had said, "Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods”. Then after the fact, we see that Solomon's "wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God” (1 Kings 11:4). Do we think we can do better, or that it won't happen to us? Remember, Solomon was one of, if not the wisest man to ever live.
We have weak links, and when we flirt with disaster, disastrous things happen. May God lead us to consider what prompts us to sin, what it is that we are susceptible to, and may He lead us far far away from those things through our decisions to avoid them, and follow Him. Most of the world is doing something different than Christians, and there is a reason for the distinction. Moses described it pretty well, "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2). We need to consider what effect certain people, places and activities have on us, especially if those are our weak link(s). God wants us strong and secure in Him, but He leaves the decision up to us. Do we choose wisely?
