Sometimes all it takes to collapse mighty objects is a miniscule nuisance.
Dare 2 Share - So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! ( I Corinthians 10:12)
No doubt, I am a very blessed individual. I have the extreme privilege of living near some of the most breathtaking mountains in the world: the Colorado Rockies. One of the most impressive elements atop those massive peaks are the colossal trees that tower over the panoramic vistas. They started as seedlings on the slopes of the mountains over 500 years ago, and for centuries they have stood tall despite the enduring violent winds, lightning strikes, blizzards, and even avalanches. Yet if you travel long enough and hike deep enough into the forest, you will find some of these once-towering trees scarcely more than a mound of decaying wood.
What caused their demise? Poor diet? Lack of sunscreen? Natural disasters? Surprisingly enough, none of these factors contributed to their downfall. The culprit was a horde of beetles that spent their time gnawing away until those skyscrapers of nature surrendered to those tiny pests and toppled over. Sometimes all it takes to collapse mighty objects is a miniscule nuisance.
Perhaps you consider yourself a sturdy tree in God’s forest. For long years you have stood tall on the Rock of Ages. You have resisted the tempests of temptation, managed misfortune, and were self-assured in the strength supplied by the Savior. If so, congratulations! Yet I have one question for you: have you met the beetles? No, not the pop sensation group from the sixties. I'm referring to the subtle threats to our spiritual condition. Sometimes they are hard to see, and their devastating effect is hardly felt until it is too late. They are the little sins that begin to eat away at our lives--little lies, little compromises with greed, lust, gossip, idolatry, pride, and a host of other seemingly small sins that in reality form a perilous pack. Take heed, because the beetles will gradually corrode your character and wreck your witness for Christ!
Song of Solomon 2:15 states "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines." This intriguing Old Testament verse should sound a loud alarm in our consciences. We must not tolerate the little evils that eat away at the roots of our lives. Let's confess those "tiny" evils to God now, before they lead to a big fall.
Questions:
1) What are the ‘beetles’ in your life?
2) Where have you made little compromises in the previous week?
3) Do you feel like your walk with Christ is impenetrable? Why or why not?
