A little poison
A little poison

Squeak, Squeak!

There's an old preacher's story that I am not sure I agree with 100%, but I want us to consider it today. You can substitute some other sinful activity for the word "dance", but this is how I originally heard it. It goes like this:

A pair of Christians, a young man and a young lady, were very faithful and studious members of a congregation. They had several years of good works. One day they were invited to a "dance" by their friends, who told them about what fun they were missing, and how until they experienced it for themselves, they would never understand. So the couple went to the "dance", and although there was much drinking and other ungodly behavior, they decided to try it for "just one night." Well. somehow the exits got blocked, a fire broke out, and everyone died. When the souls were being sorted out, the angels of the Lord came for our pair, but the devil was there to stop them. "They died on my property," he said. And he was right.

Now consider these two true strories:

A while back in Singapore, an American boy spray painted some cars. The punishment for such a crime was caning, something many in the US feel is cruel and inhumane punishment. However, American or not, he was in Singapore and he got the caning. He comitted the crime on their property.

Last night, a little mouse got in our house. That would be MY property! Now, I have nothing against mice, in truth I like them, and since I have 4 dogs you would think the mouse would not be so silly, but there he was. I stopped by Wal-Mart and picked up some old-fashioned cruel and inhumane (inmousemane?) Victor mouse traps. In the morning, we had a mouse caught by its foot, which I happily took outside away from the house and let go. I am also happy to say it, after a moment or two of getting over being held in the jaws of death, was able to scamper off.

In these three stories, the mouse is the only one that escapes the intended punishment (well, yes, it was in pain, but it did get away alive!) Also notice that the mouse is the only one that is innocent - in the other two stories, the people willfully act wrong. My point? No one is perfect, but if you're going to break the law better it be a mistake than a choice! I learned something else at Wal-Mart last night, too. My dad used always to say

"Sin in your life is a lot like rat poison. Rat poison is 98% good stuff. That's why rats eat it. It's the two percent of poison that will get you!"

He's wrong. Rat poison is only .0001 percent poison! If it takes so little to kill a rat, how much sin does it take for us, I wonder?

Randy

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I Corinthians 5:6-11 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

I Peter 3:12-17 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

James 3:7-12 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.