Can You Have it Your Way?
“Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble.” – Proverbs 28:14
Have you ever known someone who insists on doing what both you and they know to be wrong? The boss says you can’t go out to lunch because he needs something done that really matters, yet you leave for lunch? You know you struggle with strong drink, yet you say, “just one won’t hurt me,” even knowing that one will lead to another. Perhaps you have gone where you knew you shouldn’t have. I think we have all broken the rules before, but here we address a stubborn desire to continue in such behavior.
What does it say about you when you continue to be stubborn about what you know to be wrong?
Think of a drug addict. Sure that person knows shooting up will harm them, yet they keep right on doing it. What does such action say about that person? It makes the statement that he or she makes his or her own rules and does not need to follow the rules set by God or others. Such an attitude will in fact lead to trouble. You see you or I must submit to God and so often that translates into submission to others. “I refuse to do what you ask,” gets translated into you think you are above the law. Not a good way to be if you expect to prosper.
I want to draw a line of sorts in the sand here. It is one thing to be stubborn about what is right and quite another to do so about what you know to be wrong. You may tell me to kill my neighbor. If you are government then must I obey? No I must not, as God’s law trumps man’s law here. Nevertheless if that same government tells me not to drive faster than 55 is it ok to speed? Speeding may lead to an accident and so all drivers must submit. And if you don’t submit then you are being stubborn and at some point you will pay dearly for your refusal to submit. Am I making sense?
I leave you this morning with a question. That thing you currently are being stubborn about, what would God say about it if you asked him? Another scripture defines sin, what we call sins of omission like this. “He that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” So when we know we should, but we refuse, then we are being stubborn and at some point we will pay the price.
These morning meditations written by Christian believer and author, Patricia Hawkins, who offers these meditations for your personal edification. You may contact Patricia at prayerpartnerpat@gmail.com.