Too Close

I finally got around to painting the house this year although I started too late to finish. If you will recall there was a one week window of good weather, cool mornings and warm afternoons, which was great for me since I don't like hot weather.
As I got around to the grassy areas of the house I noticed an increase in the bug activity around the paint tray and the freshly painted areas of the house. I'm not sure what drew them to the paint, perhaps color, order......but whatever it was, more continued to come. Soon, they were not only flying about but they started landing on the house and in the paint tray and of course once that happened I had little bug bodies all over the place.
After watching this for several days I started thinking about how similar we are to those bugs. I thought of the account of Lot and Abram. Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, Abram chose Canaan. Lot pitched his tent near the city of Sodom. (Gen. 13:12) The bible says, " But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. (13:13) Isn't that often the first step with us, we get close, not really involved, but close enough to see the action. It doesn't hurt to look we tell ourselves, look but don't touch or get involved.
The next time we see Lot he's in Sodom. He's gone from just being near to actually living in the city, living in "Sin City" so to speak. Now, once Lot was in the city, the city begans to get in Lot. Lets face it, there's always a progression with sin, it doesn't happen all at once, little by little we are drawn in by our own desires and before we know it we are knee deep and stuck in a mess of our own creation and we make no attempt to change the situation until something drastic happens.
"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)

With all the depravity surrounding Lot, you'd think he would be anxious to get out of there yet he refuses to leave.Finally two angels tell him to get out of Sodom because the Lord is going to destroy it, and yet he hesitates, not sure if he wants to leave even under these circumstances. The angels that were sent to warn him had to take the hands of Lot, his wife and daughters and bring them out of the city and tell them to escape and not to look back or suffer destruction. (Gen. 19:12-17)

Believe it or not, we have a slight advantage over the bugs that were swarming around my paint; they don't have a Savior. We have the Lord who, "Knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations...." (2Pet.2:9a) Of course the key here is not getting too close in the first place.
"Commit your way way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." (Ps. 37:5)
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Ps. 37:4)
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord....." (Ps. 37:23-24)

I think it comes down to this, if we are going to get close to anyone or anything, we should get close to God and the principles set forth in His word.
My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me. (Psalms 63:8)

Six Principles To Live By

1. Don't worry, when you're doing your best. God accepts no less, but He demands no more. "Trust in the Lord, and do good...and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Ps. 37:3-4)
2. Don't hurry, when when success depends on accuracy. "Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." (Prov. 21:5)
3. Don't form conclusions until you have all the facts. Everyone you meet has unmet needs, unhealed wounds, and unfulfilled hopes. If want people to to evaluate you by your best qualities rather than your worst, "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." (Lk. 6:31)
4. Don't believe a thing is impossible without trying. When you are in God's will, doing things God's way, sensitive to His timing and willing to persevere, your problems are just a platform for Him to work on your behalf. (Rom. 8:28)
5. Don't waste your time on trivial matters. In order to put first things first, you must ask yourself, "What is it that only I can do, or do best?" Only when you've answered that question will you know what you should do.
6. Don't think that good intentions are an acceptable excuse for doing nothing. Examine your life; are you a talker or a doer? Get specific about your diet or devotions, your finances and your your family, etc. Write these words on a card and read them regularly: "If it's to be, it's up to me." James writes: "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:17)

SFLC