OK…so I’m mad—VERY mad…at fire ants. I know there is a purpose for everything God created; however, I am seriously concerned that the fire ant could have been some sort of experiment in heaven gone bad—and God just sort of rolled with the punches to see what happened.
What is the reason for my sudden anger and bitterness?
Last Sunday after lunch I packed up all the garbage and took it outside…BAREFOOT. When I walked back in the house the big toe on my left foot felt like it was on fire—I began to do a dance (which will probably make a Baptist angry) and literally thought I might be going crazy. THEN I looked down on my toe and saw an itty bitty fire ant going to town!!!
SO…I killed it—and YES, I used excessive force. Trust me when I say that if I would have had a bazooka in my hands that I would have unloaded on the stupid creature!
I walked into the living room and my toe began to swell—BIG TIME…and it was itching…BAD! I tried rubbing Clorox on the bite—but it didn’t seem to help. The next day I even struggled putting shoes on…and when I tried to run my big toe felt about as big as the state of Rhode Island!
Now I think there is some sort of lesson in everything…and so I’ve been thinking about my encounter with the creature of death that tore up my toe…and I can’t this out of my mind—SOMETIMES in our lives it is not the BIG things that do the most damage to us—but rather the small ones.
Stay with me…
Churches often hit on the BIG sins, you know, the ones we say that God really hates—homosexuality, adultery, murder, abortion and whatever else a particular denomination may be passionate about. AND let me be clear that if the Bible calls something a sin then so should the church!
HOWEVER, I believe there are too many Christians who sit in the chairs every week and say to themselves, “Well, I am not committing any of THOSE sins…so I must be OK.” But my question is, “What about small issues in life?”
What I have discovered for me personally is that “the small things,” the sins that many of us claim are “no big deal” can actually do the most damage to our walk with Christ—and eventually our testimony. They are damaging—just like the fire ant.
Want an example? Before 1999 I used to have certain movie channels in my home…and thought it was “no big deal;” after all, we HAVE to be entertained, right? However, I discovered that for me it was not good to have access to these channels because my mind would wonder…and then eventually I would “just flip around” to “see what might be on.” And in my search flipping I would eventually find what I was REALLY looking for—porn.
Some of you men know EXACTLY what I am talking about!
SO…I decided that I didn’t want them in my home—EVER! NOW…I don’t have a verse that says you should not have these channels, nor do I judge and condemn those that do—I just know that for me, even though it can be dismissed as a small problem, that there was a period in my life that it did A LOT of damage!!!
Maybe it’s something different for you…maybe someone has talked to you about the way you handle alcohol. To you it’s no big deal—but it is controlling your life…and you can’t be seen socially without it. Be careful…it could be damaging.
For some it may be a relationship…you know you should not going that far physically, and you tell others that it’s not a big deal; however, you have began to do things you once considered sinful, but you justify it by saying “it’s no big deal!” If you want to destroy your ability to hear from God and seriously build intimacy before marriage then go ahead, have sex…but trust me—it’s a BIG DEAL!
Maybe it is that other person at the office, you know, the one you are going to lunch with…just you and her. Sure, it’s innocent right—you tell yourself it’s not that big of a deal, but recently you have began to have sexual fantasies about her…and you tell yourself you never will—but you can’t stop thinking about it. I remember Ed Young saying once, “Sex begins between the ears before it happens between the legs!”
Maybe it’s something that you KNOW the Lord has been dealing with you about. Paul wrote for us in Ephesians 4:30 not to grieve the Holy Spirit…if HE says to do something or STOP doing something then we need to pay attention to that. You may not consider it to be a big deal…but if God is dealing with you about it—THEN IT’S A BIG DEAL!!!
Is there anything the Lord is dealing with you about? Remember—fire ants, though they are little do a lot of damage…and the Lord knows that this “little” issue He is talking with you about, if not confessed and then turned from, will do some long term damage.
My desire for the rest of my life is to listen to the voice of the Lord and then do exactly as He says, not trying to argue with Him or justify sinfulness…I ALWAYS get it right when I follow His leadership, I have never screwed up listening to Him!!! Trust me on this…if He’s speaking to you about something—listen, and then obey…trust me, it is always beneficial to do so!!!