"Taking Warings Seriously"

“Taking Warnings Seriously”

In the Reader’s Digest section “Life in These United States” many years ago a piece appeared about a deep dip in a suburban street for which drivers were advised to slow to 10 mph. Most who were unfamiliar with the area paid little attention to the warning and went almost airborne when they hit the bump. About 50 feet beyond the hazard there was another sign: “See?”

This anecdote came to mind when we moved to a church in a rural area of upstate New York in the 1980’s. We were taking Dave to his first day at his new school, about 14 miles from our house. On a county road we came down a long hill and towards the bottom was a sign warning of a sharp right bend and “suggested” speed of 10 mph. My thought was, “No curve is that bad” and I hit it at about 25 mph, only to end up on the shoulder on the opposite side of the road! (For once I learned my lesson the first time!) When I told my predecessor, a long-time friend, what had happened he chuckled and told me, “Don’t feel bad. I went into the corn field on my first trip!” So I wasn’t alone in my misjudgment. 

Recently I reflected on this long-ago experience and realized how often I play fast and loose with God’s warnings. Do I think His words don’t apply to me and somehow I’ll get a pass if I ignore or rationalize them? As I pondered this question God brought to mind several ways by which I do this and His appropriate warnings (with emphasis added):

“I have it all together.” (“You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else.”—1 Corinthians 10:12, TM)

“I can hold others to my standard.” (“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.”—Matthew 7:1-2)

“I can associate with anyone I want to—it won’t impact me.” (“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”—1 Corinthians 15:33)

“I can say what I please in any way I please.” (“…Every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it….”—Matthew 12:36, NASB)

“”It won’t come back to haunt me.” (“Don’t be misled. No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, {he or she} will harvest.”—Galatians 6:7, TM)

“I won’t be called to account.” (“…Each of us will have to give a personal account to God.”—Romans 14:12, NLT)

To all this I utter a collective “Ouch!” Maybe you do too. God’s message is clear: “I mean what I say!” For our own good we must learn this well.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan