How long, o naïve ones (you who are easily misled) will you love being simple-minded and undiscerning? (Proverbs 1:22)
My heart is beginning to break for her. Break? No, let’s say weighed down by sadness. I almost feel sorry for her. She is wise in her own eyes, but doesn’t see that she is walking down a wide road that leads to her destruction. And you roll your eyes at me, because of course I am going to bring God into it, and not everyone believes in God, and “it’s not that serious” “let people do what they want.”
And to be honest, I am one person who is content to leave people be. But I know one day the call is going to come. And I will be on the hook for someone’s personal choices. And you’ll be nowhere to be found to walk with and pray through that long bridge to recovery.
We all make stupid decisions and choices. I’ve made plenty terrible decisions that still make me cringe from time to time. There were plenty of times that I laughed at wisdom, disregarding her advice and brushing away her offered hand.
The thing is, disaster is going to come, it’s not if, but when. There’s a bible verse that says that after Satan tempted Jesus, he went away, waiting for an opportune time. And the more she scoffs at wisdom, treating wisdom’s counsel as nothing and not accepting reprimand; dread and panic and anxiety are coming like a relentless storm. It is set for an opportune time. There are some things in life that can be avoided. And watching her drive at break-neck speed toward disaster, I can only feel sorry. I’m already annoyed, but that’s beside the point. I can only comfort myself with knowledge that some folks they have to learn the hard way. C’est la vie, n’est ce pas? I, too, had to learn some things the hard way.
I’m a little disappointed though. This wisdom of hers that is so incredibly foolish. This desire she seeks: to be showered with material things, lusted after, thinking that it will be free, without a price that she has to pay. Commanding the universe to manifest it for her as though none of these things will come at a price. There is nothing free in this world. So, how dare she think all these worldly things will be given freely and without consequences. If not physical consequence, certainly emotional and spiritual. She wants to prostitute herself for money, trips, clothes, the desire of wealthy handsome men, and call it a gift from the positive energy that she’ll draw to herself. When has such energy never brought with it negative consequences? I’m not saying one shouldn’t want or have these things. I’m telling you that the pursuit of such things is going to bring her destruction.
I don’t want any harm to fall on her. I don’t want her to encounter unnecessary delays and difficulties. I do not want her to feel even a fraction of the anxiety, depression and confusion and listlessness I’ve felt in various moments of my life in the past few years. Challenges will come, of course; and just because you heed wise counsel does not exempt you from other troubles that arise. But there is a place and a necessity for wise counsel. One cannot devalue the wisdom offered by those who can see the road someone is on, and are attempting to steer such one away from a terrible fate. Are we not each others’ keeper? Why do we only want to be each others’ keeper when disaster strikes, but neglect the duty to keep before such disaster. Must the truth always take a backseat to someone’s exercise of personal choice?
But continue to scoff at my words. Because when she falls at my doorstep begging for me, and when you fix your mouth to tell me to exercise the Christianity that I preach so much, all you’ll get from me is an eye roll and a slammed door in your faces.
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pic via @blackexistence on instagram
