Skip to main content

Delicacies

             Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds (Psalm 141:3-4a)

          I found a pack of “Fighter Verses” in the basement, and the above was the first one I pulled out. I sighed. “Keep your mouth shut. Don’t say a word! Never voice your opinion again!” But when it came time to include it in my blog, I discovered the “rest of the story.” Notice what follows the word deeds:

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.  (Psalm 141:3-4)

It’s no longer about what we say. It’s about what we eat, with whom we eat it, and about what we desire. Today’s verse is another example of why we need to check the context. I won’t say that there’s no need to be careful in what we say. There are verses that make it clear that we should, but this is not one of them. This verse is more easily illustrated by Edmund Pevensie (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis) who ate the White Queen’s Turkish Delight, and was enslaved. It’s demonstrated in Sooley (James Patterson) about a young basketball star being lured into taking drugs.

It's also illustrated by a lesson parents have been trying to teach their children for decades- maybe centuries: Stranger Danger. Don’t take candy from strangers. Beware of the Trojan Horse. Of course, once we “grow up” we think we’re wise, but then we see someone with a nicer TV, a fancy car, and we want those things. The people might not be our sort of people, but we desire their delicacies.  When we desire, we are tempted. The temptation may not have anything to do with associating with the people and everything to do with the delicacies and their allure, but the allure of the delicacies lead us away from God and away from healthy living.

That’s why we need to pray that we are not drawn toward evil.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more