Good Looks

But you  (are to) run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:11

Recently two of these birds alighted on our balcony rail.  They make quite a picture, in fact they look great, so why did I rush out and shoo them away?  Because they can be very destructive birds.  In fact they chewed at a beam on a new house in our area and made a real mess.  They are not welcome guests at our house.  Something else about these birds is that they really make quite a raucous noise around the place.  There is never any doubt when a cockatoo is around, they shout to the world, "I'm here, I'm here!"  However, they can be fascinating.  It's quite possible that you've seen one in a zoo or aviary, you may even have asked it "Polly want a cracker?"  for the fun of hearing it mimic you.

This did set me thinking though, reminding me that just because something looks good doesn't mean that it is. The Bible tells us that the devil appears as an angel of light,i.e. beautiful (2 Corinthians 11:14).  Things are not necessarily what they appear to be. We can get onto something that seems like a good idea, yet it could be destructive.  The word tells us that "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is death" (Prov 14:12 & 16:25).  We only have to look around our world or watch the news to see the truth of those verses.

Having a good working understanding of the Bible will help keep us safe from harm.   If we can submit things we are not sure about to a trusted friend or a pastor, for a second opinion.  It is wise to check things out. (Prov 11:14) 

We have to flee from or shoo away things that will be destructive in our lives.  These can be habits, behaviour, thoughts and even relationships.  If we are plagued with thoughts of worthlessness and defeatist attitudes, we know that is not from God.  Find scripture verses that will speak of God's love for you, words that tell you how precious you are to Him.  If fear fills you and paralyses you, you can be sure that fear is from the enemy.  Fill yourself with God's words of love, draw near to him and bask in His loving presence.  Perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). The word of God builds our faith and dispels fear.   Sometimes relationships are not helpful.  If we are walking with someone who constantly tries to encourage us in ungodly attitudes or behaviour, we had better find a way of ending that relationship if we are not making good choices when we are around that person.

We are to flee from all that would lead us into sin, and to pursue godliness in every area of our life.  Why?  Because ungodly thoughts, attitudes and behaviour will prevent the blessing of God from invading our lives.  Always remember two things - 1. God will always love us, no matter what we do, AND 2. His grace is always available to help us change our ways.

Prayer: Father thank you for the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth.  Help me to listen to your word and follow your ways and not be seduced by things that look good.  Amen