Bird Brains
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. (Eph. 5:15-16)
I recently read a story about an eagle flying over Niagara Falls. It was the coldest day of the winter (Something to which we can all relate right now!) and the river rushing to the falls was full of large blocks of ice. An eagle spotted a rodent trapped on the top of one of these blocks of ice, unable to escape. The small animal was frantically scurrying back and forth trying to figure out how to escape its impending doom. The eagle saw an easy catch. It circled around gracefully and swooped down on the rodent and killed it. Floating on that block of ice in the middle of the river, the eagle began to eat its prey. The people watching from the shore tried to distract the bird and get its attention to make it fly off, because they didn’t want to see a beautiful, magnificent eagle go over the falls and be killed. The eagle pretty much ignored their warnings. He would occasionally stop and look ahead to see how far away the falls were and then go back to eating his meal. It was almost as though you could see the self-confidence in the eyes of that bird saying, “Don’t you worry about me. I have plenty of time. I’m in control. I can take care of myself. I know exactly how close I can get to the edge before I am in danger.” The spectators couldn’t do anything but watch as the bird floated closer and closer to the edge of the falls. They reported that just as the block of ice was beginning to go over the precipice, the eagle figured it was time to depart. It spread its wings to fly away, but alas, something unexpected happened. The bird discovered that one of his claws had become encased in the ice and he was dragged over the edge to his death.
What happened to that eagle ought to serve as a powerful warning to all of us. How many times have you heard a person say something like, “I can quit anytime I want.” or, “Don’t worry about me, I have everything under control.” or “I’ll know when it’s time for me to stop.” Really? Are you sure? Are you absolutely positive that you’ll know when it’s time to stop? Isn’t it ironic that the consequences of sin always seem like a surprise to the person who experiences it? We all tend to think we can flirt continually with sin but somehow avoid going over the precipice of disaster. When the fall comes we often hear things like: “I never saw it coming.” or “There are so many things I wish I could have avoided.” or my personal favorite, “If I’d only known then what I know now.” The Bible continually reminds us that the consequences of sin are inseparable from the action. You might currently be floating along in what you consider to be safe waters. But be warned: There’s danger ahead! In order to stop sin from getting a hold on you, God’s Word gives the following counsel:
“Be very careful, then, how you live” Let the first three words of the verse sink into your heart – “be very careful.” Chances are your mother said that to you every time you went out the door as a child. Pay attention – pay very close attention to what you’re doing. Don’t just drift along with the current flow of things. Mom’s advice was good then – and it’s still good advice today. Nobody ever plans to go over the edge of the falls. It’s just what happens when we don’t pay attention. Many people like to play a game in which they see how far they can go without actually getting caught in sinful behavior. There’s something thrilling about going right up to the very edge without going over. It’s a fool’s game. A wise person understands that the issue is not how close you can come to the edge without going over – the issue is staying away from endangering yourself at all times.
“ - not as unwise but as wise” Don’t use your time foolishly. Recognize that every moment counts and there is nothing any of us can do to retrieve even a single moment. Of the 8,760 hours this year holds, by the end of the day you will have used up 720 of them. Time is too precious to waste. People Magazine published an article entitled “The Dead Ahead Clock” telling about a clock that keeps track of how much time you have left to live. It calculates an average life span of 75 years for men and 80 years for women. So you program your sex and age into the clock, and from then on it will tell you how much time you have left. So as of today, if I live to be 75, I can expect another 8730 days to live. But Scripture reminds us that none of us can presume that we actually have a tomorrow on earth. The psalmist says in Psalm 39:4 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” It’s a very foolish person who lives as if tomorrows are never-ending.
“Make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” Think of the time wasted in sinning. Think of the time wasted in bars or in gambling casinos or in shallow affairs. Think of the time wasted in gossiping or spreading rumors. Think about all the time wasted worrying about the consequences of the sins we have committed. Satan is a thief & a robber! He loves to fill your life with missed opportunities. In the story of the eagle, while the bird was consuming his prey, his foolishness was consuming his life. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself trapped if you allow sin to grip on you.
“do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is” Don’t be foolish – in other words, “Don’t be a birdbrain.” Saturate your life and heart with His truth. Dedicate yourself to understanding God’s will and plan for your life and refuse to settle for anything less. You’ll enjoy God’s wonderful blessings and avoid becoming ensnared by sin.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
I recently read a story about an eagle flying over Niagara Falls. It was the coldest day of the winter (Something to which we can all relate right now!) and the river rushing to the falls was full of large blocks of ice. An eagle spotted a rodent trapped on the top of one of these blocks of ice, unable to escape. The small animal was frantically scurrying back and forth trying to figure out how to escape its impending doom. The eagle saw an easy catch. It circled around gracefully and swooped down on the rodent and killed it. Floating on that block of ice in the middle of the river, the eagle began to eat its prey. The people watching from the shore tried to distract the bird and get its attention to make it fly off, because they didn’t want to see a beautiful, magnificent eagle go over the falls and be killed. The eagle pretty much ignored their warnings. He would occasionally stop and look ahead to see how far away the falls were and then go back to eating his meal. It was almost as though you could see the self-confidence in the eyes of that bird saying, “Don’t you worry about me. I have plenty of time. I’m in control. I can take care of myself. I know exactly how close I can get to the edge before I am in danger.” The spectators couldn’t do anything but watch as the bird floated closer and closer to the edge of the falls. They reported that just as the block of ice was beginning to go over the precipice, the eagle figured it was time to depart. It spread its wings to fly away, but alas, something unexpected happened. The bird discovered that one of his claws had become encased in the ice and he was dragged over the edge to his death.
What happened to that eagle ought to serve as a powerful warning to all of us. How many times have you heard a person say something like, “I can quit anytime I want.” or, “Don’t worry about me, I have everything under control.” or “I’ll know when it’s time for me to stop.” Really? Are you sure? Are you absolutely positive that you’ll know when it’s time to stop? Isn’t it ironic that the consequences of sin always seem like a surprise to the person who experiences it? We all tend to think we can flirt continually with sin but somehow avoid going over the precipice of disaster. When the fall comes we often hear things like: “I never saw it coming.” or “There are so many things I wish I could have avoided.” or my personal favorite, “If I’d only known then what I know now.” The Bible continually reminds us that the consequences of sin are inseparable from the action. You might currently be floating along in what you consider to be safe waters. But be warned: There’s danger ahead! In order to stop sin from getting a hold on you, God’s Word gives the following counsel:
“Be very careful, then, how you live” Let the first three words of the verse sink into your heart – “be very careful.” Chances are your mother said that to you every time you went out the door as a child. Pay attention – pay very close attention to what you’re doing. Don’t just drift along with the current flow of things. Mom’s advice was good then – and it’s still good advice today. Nobody ever plans to go over the edge of the falls. It’s just what happens when we don’t pay attention. Many people like to play a game in which they see how far they can go without actually getting caught in sinful behavior. There’s something thrilling about going right up to the very edge without going over. It’s a fool’s game. A wise person understands that the issue is not how close you can come to the edge without going over – the issue is staying away from endangering yourself at all times.
“ - not as unwise but as wise” Don’t use your time foolishly. Recognize that every moment counts and there is nothing any of us can do to retrieve even a single moment. Of the 8,760 hours this year holds, by the end of the day you will have used up 720 of them. Time is too precious to waste. People Magazine published an article entitled “The Dead Ahead Clock” telling about a clock that keeps track of how much time you have left to live. It calculates an average life span of 75 years for men and 80 years for women. So you program your sex and age into the clock, and from then on it will tell you how much time you have left. So as of today, if I live to be 75, I can expect another 8730 days to live. But Scripture reminds us that none of us can presume that we actually have a tomorrow on earth. The psalmist says in Psalm 39:4 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” It’s a very foolish person who lives as if tomorrows are never-ending.
“Make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” Think of the time wasted in sinning. Think of the time wasted in bars or in gambling casinos or in shallow affairs. Think of the time wasted in gossiping or spreading rumors. Think about all the time wasted worrying about the consequences of the sins we have committed. Satan is a thief & a robber! He loves to fill your life with missed opportunities. In the story of the eagle, while the bird was consuming his prey, his foolishness was consuming his life. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly find yourself trapped if you allow sin to grip on you.
“do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is” Don’t be foolish – in other words, “Don’t be a birdbrain.” Saturate your life and heart with His truth. Dedicate yourself to understanding God’s will and plan for your life and refuse to settle for anything less. You’ll enjoy God’s wonderful blessings and avoid becoming ensnared by sin.
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 7:25 PM
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