Take Heed

"Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."  (1 Corinthians 10:12 ESV)

Can I just say to you that when God is at work on a particular area of your life, He doesn't let go until you "get it"!  More about that tomorrow.

This verse from 1 Corinthians was part of our morning devotional reading this morning. Al and I have been reading from a devotional book called Into His Presence by Dr. Charles Stanley.  In this morning's reading, Dr. Stanley quoted from another devotional book, one by Joni Eareckson Tada called Diamonds in the Dust.  This is what Joni had to say:

"You'll never catch me doing that!" one might say..........Just when you think you know yourself, you do or say something that seems so out of character.  But it's not.  Don't be surprised.  Just be careful that you, too, don't fall."

Joni gives some examples.  Righteous Noah who ended up drunk.  Brave David who defeated Goliath but then pretended madness because he was afraid of his enemies.  Elijah, whom we consider to be a brave man, but who ended up in suicidal despair because of the threat of one woman (Jezebel).

Perhaps you could come up with some other examples from Scripture.  Or from your own life.

That's the sticky part, isn't it?  It's easy for us to point to a fault in someone else; it's much less easy for us to acknowledge our own faults.

Our faults may not be obvious to the rest of the world.  But we still have them.  God knows what they are.  Likely we know, too, even if we don't want to admit it.

Do you remember that Pharisee from Luke 18:11......"God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector."

We may pat ourselves on the back because we're "not as bad as" someone else, but that really isn't the point, is it?  Living the Christian life is not about being "better than" someone else.  It's about becoming more like Christ.

Something to think about.

"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not think more highly of himself than he ought to think......"  (Romans 12:3 NASB)

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus......."  (Philippians 2:5 NASB)