"Slippery Slopes"

 

“Slippery Slopes”

 

During a meeting of our Elder Team at our New Hampshire church we discussed a ministry proposal at some length. There was a good balance of spiritual gifting and vision/vigilance in the group so we looked carefully at the pros and cons surrounding the issue. One member whose and insight I greatly respected (and still do) cautioned us not to make a hasty decision and risk placing ourselves on a “slippery slope”.  We agreed to pray about the matter and revisit it at our next gathering. We then reached a consensus which over time proved to be a wise decision. In this process we learned to pray, discuss, pray some more then decide.

The term “slippery slope” has been traced back more than 2000 years to the writings of the Roman statesman Cicero (106-43BC) who used it to describe how quickly things can slide down to an unwanted conclusion once they start. (Today “snowball effect” has a similar connotation.) My New Hampshire friend provided wise counsel before we took action we might have regretted later.

In the period following Judah’s return from captivity in Babylon in two stages (606-536BC and 586-516BC) the prophets Haggai and Zechariah ministered and challenged God’s people to rebuild the temple and restore worship. The returnees had given their attention to their own houses and had left the temple unfinished. Five times (1:5; 1:7; 2:15 and twice in 2:18) Haggai used the term “Give careful thought.” (Most other versions translate the Hebrew phrase “consider”.) The nation was on a “slippery slope” and God’s messenger was used to bring the focus back to His ways.

We must be careful about decisions we make, particularly in early stages of our lives and responsibilities, lest we find ourselves on a “slippery slope” and have difficulty reversing our course. My friend’s words have stuck with me for more than two decades and have often kept me from going on the wrong path. Psalm 119:59 SAYS, “I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes.” Let’s heed these timeless words of counsel—we’ll be glad we did.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan