The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
In high school, I was a goody two-shoes, a teetotaler, a toe-the-line guy. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone, especially God, whom I had given my life to at age eleven. From that moment, I had dedicated myself to following all the rules and commands as best I could.
The one caveat was I still allowed myself to annoy my three little sisters. Somewhere it is written about it being the older brother’s sworn duty to torture his little sisters. It was one more rule I dedicated myself to following, no matter what.
My fall from holy perfection occurred one day during shop class. Mike was a classmate, and he always pleasured himself by bugging me until I was cross-eyed with pent up fury. While I don’t remember what he did, it happened in the classroom while everyone else was in the shop.
I exploded with a loud one-word response that sort of rhymes with Hamlet. Mike burst into laughter and rushed towards the door leading into the shop. As he went, he yelled, “Ashton cussed! Ashton cussed!”
I had failed God completely. His Word told me so: “…and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.” (Ephesians 5:4). Surely, God would want nothing more to do with me.
Years have passed since then. Fortunately, I’ve moved beyond striving to live a perfectly sinless life. If that ship has sailed, wouldn’t it be silly for me to swim after it? However, even though none of us can live in a realm of total holiness, we can find peace and joy in being as obedient to God’s wisdom-filled commands as possible.
For example, listen to Proverbs 20:1: “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.” As a former imbiber in my youth, I shudder at how my life could have been different.
If I had not stopped, how long would my days have numbered before I became addicted to alcohol? Through the years, how many marriages would I have drunk my way through? How many relationships would I have destroyed?
If we had been blessed with children, would drinking carry positive or negative impact upon their lives? Would they have followed me into their own addictions?
In the midst of my drunkenness, could my foolish decisions even be numbered? How many times would I have sworn off drinking only to return? How many times would I remember boasting about being able to quit whenever I wanted to, only never being able to?
Truth is—there’s no easy life connected to drunkenness. And that’s only one possible affliction in a person’s life. Galatians 5:19-21 provides a list of issues it would be wise to avoid: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Does anyone sincerely believe participating in any one of these life-styles will produce an easy life? Isn’t each one capable of destroying relationships with the ones we’re closest to?
Many people refuse to listen to God’s wise commands because they think He just wants to control them. They’re genuinely afraid they’ll have to change their ways of living even if their ways are destroying the relationships around them.
What God desires is that you have a life of peace and joy. The next two verses say it all: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
How many relationships have been destroyed because a person lived in the midst of the fruit of the Spirit? Zero.
Living in the easy yoke of obeying God’s wise counsel in all aspects of your life takes your relationships to the highest levels possible. That’s what God wants for you. He wants you to enjoy your relationship both with Him and those whom you love most.