My favorite tree in the back yard had a horizontal branch of just the right height for a teenage boy to leap, grab the branch like a chinning bar, and swing back and forth. I had done that so often, I could catch the branch with my eyes closed. One day, I ran around the house toward the tree, took a flying leap, and grabbed the branch. As I swung back and glanced down before dropping to the ground, I froze.
A three-foot snake lay coiled directly below, beneath my feet. I climbed up instead of going down. On that day, I promised to pay better attention to the evil that might pull me down.
Lord, protect me from the hands of cruel and violent people, who devise any way they can to make me stumble.
— Psalm 140:4
— Psalm 140:4
Ten Thoughts to Ponder
- For signs to have value, they must be seen, understood, and followed.
- To climb the mountain, I must cross valleys, being willing to go down so I can go up.
- God’s detours are important to avoid disasters.
- When freshness is lost, I need refreshing.
- A few well-chosen words can create a thousand pictures in different minds.
- Persistence keeps going while Patience can wait.
- God’s anointing appoints people for work they cannot possibly do on their own.
- The difference between trash and treasure is the purpose for its collection.
- When the distance is greater between us and God, hearing him becomes more difficult.
- A little bit of excitement is like riding the crest of a wave without considering the potential for falling.
Questions for Further Thought
- How can we protect ourselves from dangers we don’t see?
- What can we do to do avoid being pulled down?
- Under what conditions should we quit?
