Use Your Smarts

There was a joke when I was growing up that went something like this:  “What’s are a young man’s famous last words?”  (“I dunno.”)  “Hey, y’all, watch this!”  Now, I’ve seen some really crazy things that kids do, some that defy gravity and others that defy logic and would attest to that.  We’ve all seen it.

Just last week, our breakfast club observed an adult doing something very much like the above.  Apparently, the gas station next to us was having air conditioning trouble and the gentleman was doing his best to get up on top of the building to work on it.  Look at the picture closely and you’ll see a ladder on TOP of a ladder, neither being tall enough to reach the top of the ledge.  We all watched a lady hold the ladder still while he climbed up the first one, looked up at his destination, and then climbed up to the very top of the second one.  Yikes!  Then he pulled himself up and was on top, where he proceeded to work on the unit.  Everyone in our eatery was glued to the window in fear of his trip down. 

When he came back down, the lady came back out of the station and held the ladder again.  It must have been terrifying to hang over the side and reach for that first step without seeing where he was going!  I think we were all praying for his safety.  God answered our prayers and he made it back to the ground with no mishaps. 

I’m sure I’ve done things that were equally DUMB and showed no common sense!  We all have!  There must be numerous times when we do something very similar to the man aforementioned and God watches us, interceding for us, as we do really foolish stuff.  It may not be obvious to the world watching, or maybe it is.  Choices we make might seem to make no sense.  Counsel we’re given is ignored.  Maybe we run ahead like a bull in a china shop, not waiting for God’s clear direction. 

On the other hand, maybe we DON’T do what we’re supposed to do.  Not helping that person who needs help, not praying when we said we would, not this or not that.  We’ve all been there. 

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.  James 4:17

God calls it like it is; if you know what you’re supposed to do and don’t do it, it’s sin.  It may not be as silly as doing something dangerous, …but disobedience is dangerous. 

In this day, at this time, let us purpose to RISE UP and be women of integrity who do what we know we ought to do.