When I was a kid, Evel Knievel fascinated me. I had an Evel Knievel action figure, a stunt bike and a car that “blew up” when you ran it into a wall. I even faintly remember watching him try to jump the Snake River Canyon with his Jet Bike (and that was in 1974 when I was only 5 years old).
Of course, things did not always go well for Knievel. Most of us have seen the footage of his December 31, 1967 jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He landed short, was thrown over the handle bars of the motorcycle and ended up crushing his pelvis and femur, fracturing his hip, wrist and both ankles and sustaining a concussion that kept him in a coma for 29 days.
Daredevils get attention because they do what the rest of us will not. They gather crowds by standing on the edge of their own mortality and pushing the limits.
While most of us will never be tempted make a living as a daredevil, I do think that there is a huge temptation to live as a “Spiritual daredevils”. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to take risks with our spiritual health and well-being by pushing the limits of what is Godly and acceptable. Even though the Bible says, “This is not a good idea”, it is easy to think, “This will not really hurt me” and do it anyway.
To a bunch of people who were careless about their spiritual walk, the Apostle Paul writes, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12) In other words, you are not as strong as you think you are! You may think that questionable practices are having no effect on you, but maybe they are.
I am not trying to say that we can work our way to heaven by being good. Nor am I trying to say that we can live perfect lives and never make a mistake.
My point, however, is that our Spiritual life is too important and too precious to risk by being silly, careless or reckless about it.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).
That is still good advice for everyone.
Incidentally, Evel Knievel became a believer in God and was baptized before his death in 2007. Apparently, even he was not silly enough to go into eternity without making the things of God a priority in his life.
Of course, things did not always go well for Knievel. Most of us have seen the footage of his December 31, 1967 jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. He landed short, was thrown over the handle bars of the motorcycle and ended up crushing his pelvis and femur, fracturing his hip, wrist and both ankles and sustaining a concussion that kept him in a coma for 29 days.
Daredevils get attention because they do what the rest of us will not. They gather crowds by standing on the edge of their own mortality and pushing the limits.
While most of us will never be tempted make a living as a daredevil, I do think that there is a huge temptation to live as a “Spiritual daredevils”. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to take risks with our spiritual health and well-being by pushing the limits of what is Godly and acceptable. Even though the Bible says, “This is not a good idea”, it is easy to think, “This will not really hurt me” and do it anyway.
To a bunch of people who were careless about their spiritual walk, the Apostle Paul writes, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12) In other words, you are not as strong as you think you are! You may think that questionable practices are having no effect on you, but maybe they are.
I am not trying to say that we can work our way to heaven by being good. Nor am I trying to say that we can live perfect lives and never make a mistake.
My point, however, is that our Spiritual life is too important and too precious to risk by being silly, careless or reckless about it.
“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15).
That is still good advice for everyone.
Incidentally, Evel Knievel became a believer in God and was baptized before his death in 2007. Apparently, even he was not silly enough to go into eternity without making the things of God a priority in his life.
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