How to *run on water*

I am a big fan of a show called Mythbusters (maybe you are too).  Essentially this show takes common urban myths and scientifically tests them out to see if they are true or false.  One very interesting myth they tested was about if ancient ninjas were able to walk on water with various flotation devices on their feet.  Through many failed attempts, the Mythbusters decided to make a concoction of water and corn starch.  The interesting thing about this was that they were actually able to run on this “liquid” surface.  However, if at any point there were to stop their movement they would sink down (Mythbusters).  As I was thinking about this subject, I realized walking on this “liquid surface” is like a Christian walking towards the goal of heaven, and the bad influences are things which cause us to slow down or stop.  While we may be alright as long as we are running, when we slow it to a walk, it becomes harder to move; once we stop walking we begin to sink; and if we ever decided to sit, it becomes incredibly difficult to get out and get going again.

Psalm 1 is a great psalm contrasting righteousness and wickedness, but the first verse gives a great model about bad influences.  See, people do not usually wake up one morning and find themselves living deep in sin.  There is much more of a process and Psalm 1:1 identifies this for us.  What we will notice here is an increased level of involvement  in the negative influence.  Here are 3 steps a person approved by God does not do:

(1) “Does not WALK in the counsel of the wicked.”  A person who is only walking is not fully committed, but this person is committed at least to some degree because of the involvement and participation given, even if silently.  What we see here is a person who is just kind of going with the crowd (even if he or she does not agree with the crowd).  This person may not be “participating,” but the fact that this person is even there is a “step” in the wrong direction.  Walking is a moving motion.  So, it is still fairly easy to shift the motion towards a better goal.  This person is not in too deep yet.

(2) “Does not STAND in the path of sinners.”  Standing seems to show participation and support of the people and actions.  This person is no longer moving towards the goal at all.  The level of involvement is now increased.  Suddenly the people or things being done do not seem as bad as they once did, and maybe it is even fun now.  This person is no longer moving, but is now stationary.  It will now take more effort to get moving, and then to move away, but it is still within reach.

(3) “Does not SIT in the seat of scoffers.”  Sitting shows full commitment, involvement, and even comfortableness with the whole situation.  This person is now in deep and is not very concerned about pressing towards any other goal.  It seems like this person is fully involved in the bad influence and the moral conscience has been placed aside.  This person has settled down in these bad influences and now it will now be very difficult to get up, get moving, and get away.

Have you ever walked in the mall for a long time?  How nice and comfortable do those big soft massage chairs look after hours of walking?  As time goes by and we get more tired and our feet begin to hurt, we start off by just passing by the chairs, then we stop and look at them, and eventually we find ourselves sitting in the chairs instead of accomplishing the purpose we originally came for.  Bad influences are like those big comfy chairs.  Every decision we make, everything we do, everyone we walk with, every person we “hang out with,” and anyone we sit down with has the ability to influence our lives.  We must be very careful.  1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘bad company corrupts good morals.'”  This can and does happen to everyone.  No one is immune.  We must be careful not to ever slow down our Christianity.  We must have our eyes fixed on the goal and run towards it with increasing effort.  May we never slow down for bad influences and ever begin to “walk in the counsel of the wicked.”  Let us end with the powerful words found in Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

 

–Brett Petrillo

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