Promise for Today - It's Not that Bad

So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”

You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way. But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living. 

 1st Peter 1:13-17 The Message

I was thinking about the toxicity of life and what could be done about it, when I remembered the parent's story of her teenagers still living at home who wanted to watch an R-rated movie. Mom said no. The teenagers began to whine and wheedle, "Oh, Mom, c'mon! It's not that bad. It only has a little cussing in it. And only one sex scene..." Mom said it would not be good for them, no matter how little it was. The teens wanted to argue about it, but Mom quieted them with a promise to sleep on it and let them know her final decision the next evening.

After school the next afternoon, the teens came home to the smell of fresh brownies in the kitchen. Oh, they were SO excited! Mom's brownies were the BEST! Before they took a bite, Mom said, "I want to let you know one little thing that's in there. I put half a teaspoon of dog poo in the batter, but it's only a little bit - less than half a teaspoon actually, so it's not that bad."

Nobody would eat the brownies.

None of us would, either, and yet we "eat" stuff day in and day out that is bad for us. Stuff that does NOT promote spiritual health and well-being. Think about it.

Quote from Alan Neel, "Discernment is a daily decision to determine what is toxic." Think about it. Let's remove the toxins in our lives; including the two-legged ones, too.

Prayer:

Father,
             Help us to see the true toxicity level of those things in our lives and give us the strength to cast them off and to not look back. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen