A couple weeks ago I was sick. I knew it was coming on weeks earlier, but I did nothing about it. Even when it was escalating I still did nothing but sleep more. If only I had taken action all this would never had happened.
This reminds me of two things – sin and asking for help. I will address them separately since they are two different subjects.
First – sin. In the first few weeks of December I knew full well that I was getting an infection, yet I did nothing. Sin is like that. It often will creep into our lives and we do not give it much thought. For example look at the content of what is on TV today. We often explain it away with, “It had such a great story line” or, “It was so true to life” or, ‘It’s so funny.” What this does is desensitize us to what is wrong.
What about gossip? Have we said things about someone under the guise of just trying to understand or help them? After a while it seems like it just becomes a normal part of our conversation. All sin started somewhere – usually just making a mistake, or telling a ‘little white lie.’
One thing I know for sure though is that if you do not acknowledge it, say your sorry if you need to, and make things right, chances are, it will become worse and escalate, then one day you will wake up and wonder how did things get to be so bad. Make yourself aware of what you are doing and if it is not right do something about it.
The other thing I thought about is getting help. So often I know I do not like getting help because I think I am inconveniencing people, or that they will think I am stupid or weak. If I had gone to the doctor right away and gotten help I would not have gotten sick and my wonderful husband would not have had to carry my share of the load. What we do always affects others in some way. It also meant that I did not go to work and others had to cover for me. It all could have been avoided.
What I am trying to say is be aware of what you are doing and look at the consequences of your actions. God has given us the guidelines. That is to love Him and to love each other. I was not acting in love, but selfishness and pride when I did not go get help. Whether we are aware of it or not, what we do always affects someone else. If we start putting others first in our thinking then we will find that our choices will be better. I have learned my lesson … now onto the next lesson.
– Lynn Bode, Christian Life Assembly, Barriere
