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| Rushing to React by Cadi Nobles |
| “For their feet run to evil” Pro. 1:16 Ever noticed how we rush to do things that we know are wrong? Perhaps it is psychological; trying to outrun our conscience, before it catches up with us. Like doing things quickly somehow justifies or simplifies them. It’s an odd response to guilt that we all share. It’s not courage or bravery, if anything, it is the opposite. Hurrying to do what we want, before what we should do catches up with us. This trait is a given to us from birth, we inherit it from our genetic father, Adam. A 45 year old man may rush into a bar in the same way that a two year old child hurries to snatch a cookie. Though the man has age and the wisdom of his years, he still has the nature that he was born with. Even as adults, we respond like caught children when some of our mislaid plans are brought out in the open. Perhaps that is why the young man in this passage of Proverbs seems in a hurry to ‘run to evil.’ Earlier in the chapter, he is warned not to be ‘enticed’ by sinners and the verses that follow lay-out where the path leads if he chooses to follow their way. Everything about sin seems to be connected with hurrying. A thief must hurry to gather his loot, a liar must lie quickly before he is found out. In the world of sin, a common saying is “live fast and die.” It’s all about acting and reacting before God and conscience catches up. So many times I have been guilty of this myself, hurrying to commit the wrong before I have opportunity to see the right. Instances come up that seem so tempting, just yield to the excitement of the moment and deal with whatever regret comes later. As a child, these times of yielding bring simple pain and shallow remorse. But as we grow, the sting of our own actions begin to bite much deeper. The pain and remorse that we experience is deep and real. It affects our lives and the lives of others. It’s not a matter of saying that we are sorry anymore, or crying a tear and feeling the relief from regret. Often the biggest mistakes that we make stem from not waiting to decide the best option. Being afraid that the most ‘Christian’ thing to do will not be what we have our heart set on. So, we rush to ‘react’ rather than decide. All the while knowing that we will try to soothe our conscience later by saying ‘It just happened so fast.’ Of course it does, we make sure it happens fast, while our Christian defenses seem at their lowest. “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31) Never in my life have I been able to appreciate the truth of this scripture more. Looking back, I see all the times that I deliberately yielded to temptation rather than waiting on the strength of the Lord. I know in my heart the decisions that I made in haste, because I chose not to wait. Those pains are real in the heart of every Christian, seeing the sins and mistakes that we ourselves created simply by yielding making “occasion for the flesh” and like Eve tasting the forbidden fruit simply because of fleshly desire. Yet, even though we carry this regret, God is faithful to forgive us. Laden down with the weight of sin and the deep pain of remorse, we can hear Him calling to us “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) Oh how light is the burden of His work when we compare it to the weight of sin that we have all felt! Just to lift the guilt off of our shoulders and lay it as His feet! How wonderful is our Savior, Jesus Christ! |
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