I have a scar on my finger today that reminds me of something I did over 40 years ago. I was 5 or 6 years old at the time. I was in the backyard watching my dog, Bo chew on a pork chop bone. For some reason I decided to take the bone away from him. Bo expressed to me he'd rather I not do that by growling first and then biting me when I failed to get the hint. I ran into the house crying and bleeding and was comforted and cared for by my mom. My dad asked, "What happened?" I told him. He told me, "Don't do that anymore." I haven't.

Some of the situations people get themselves into may seem to them harmless at first. Don’t you think Mel Gibson would love to turn back time to before he left the house a few weeks ago? All of us have done and said things we wished we hadn’t.  But many times the warning signs are as bright and glaring as neon signs. And as Alexander Pope wrote, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. They may do things like hang out with the wrong crowd and go to the wrong places. They may rationalize this by saying, "As long as I don't do anything wrong I don't see the problem." They may see themselves as the exception to the rule, "Play with fire and you'll get burned" or "Lie down with dogs and you'll get up with fleas." And gradually the sinful environment they've immersed themselves into begins to chip away at their resolve. If they do not see immediate consequences of their behavior they persuade themselves that they go away with it unscathed. The Bible says, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11). Before long drunkenness is not that a big of a deal, profanity is just words, and having sex with someone you're not married to is just for fun. At first they ignore the "growling" of the conscience and do what they do because they want to do it. Then sin bites and it leaves scars. It leaves scars that remain even if you've repented and been forgiven. It leaves scars of unplanned pregnancies, abortions and changing the plans that you had for your life. It leaves scars of broken homes, broken promises and broken hearts. It leaves scars of drunken brawls, drunken drivers and death. It not only scars those who made the foolish decision to commit the sin but also those who were simply unfortunate enough to meet them on the highway.

Hear the word of the Lord:

 

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."

Psalm 119:63 CEV I choose as my friends everyone who worships you and follows your teachings.

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

We can try later in life to cover the scars of the choices we've made. And with the passing of time, sometimes the scars fade to where they are not so noticeable. But wouldn't it be better to pay attention to the growling conscience and not get bit in the first place?

 

God bless you,

Brad Fry