Don’t Become Careless in Guarding Your Soul

Recently several of us in our congregation met out in the church yard to cut down and remove a half-dead tree that had become something of an eye-sore in the landscape. In spite of chainsaws malfunctioning at times, we finally managed to accomplish our goal. However, a day or two later I noticed an itchy rash on my arm. I called up a couple of the others who had worked on that project and discovered they had it too, but even worse than I did. Apparently some of the leafless vines wrapped around the trunk of that tree had been poison oak. It was more difficult to identify since the leaves had fallen off, but I’ve since been informed of certain characteristics to watch out for even in a leafless vine that signal it might be poisonous. I guess we weren’t as careful as we should have been or didn’t take as many precautions as were warranted. I have no doubt that after suffering the irritating and uncomfortable consequences of our actions, we’ll all be more vigilant the next time we deal with any plant which even remotely looks suspicious.

 How much more should we be watchful and cautious when it comes to our having contact with things which can adversely affect our souls. Sometimes it’s not a matter of intentionally grabbing hold of something we know is sinful or spiritually harmful. It may just be that we get a little careless. We don’t take the time to pray, seek God’s guidance, or use wise discernment in identifying that this action or attitude could pose a threat. We don’t hold it up to the light of God’s Word to see what it has to say about the subject. We just jump right in without thinking. Then we have to face the consequences – guilt, a loss of fellowship with the Lord, or other uncomfortable outcroppings from that initial act. They may hit us immediately or they might not come into our lives until days or months later. But eventually we pay the price for our rash and unwise actions.

    The Bible commands us to “abstain from every form of evil” (I Thessalonians 5:22). Some of us are more familiar with the old King James version – “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” While I understand that translation may not be the best, the concept is still a good one. If you have any inkling that something may be spiritually harmful, keep away from it, at least until you can get further enlightenment or confirmation about it. Elsewhere the Bible tells us not to “give place to the devil”. Again, the King James version warns about not giving the devil a “foothold” in our lives. Don’t entertain anything in your heart, mind, or life that might crack open a door for sin or Satan. If you have doubts, don’t do it.

 The good news for us poison oak sufferers is that there are remedies which help relieve the itching and eventually the rash will run its course and go away. And the good news for us when we carelessly put ourselves in harm’s way spiritually is that God forgives and can help us move on from where we are. Sometimes He may deliver us from the consequences. Other times we might have to continue to “itch” for a while. If left untreated, it can become a serious matter. But when we confess our error and turn back to Him, the Lord is gracious to enable us to carry on from wherever we find ourselves now.

Let’s remember that there are many things around us today which can get inside us and poison our souls. So let’s be watchful and refuse to let down our guard.