There are danger zones all around us. Most of the time, we are so into our own world that we don’t notice them. We have become so accustomed to some of them that we pay no attention to them. We walk into the grocery store, and the yellow triangle is sitting on the floor to warn us that it may be slippery. We walk by without thinking a thing about it. We even have tags on our hair dryers, sofa pillows, and medicines that are warning labels that we should read and adhere to, but most are ignored. The Bible is no different. It is full of warnings of what will happen if we do not pay attention and obey God’s word, yet, most have never read it, or they think it will never apply to them.
The Bible warns and gives examples of those who did not heed the warnings, and it cost them greatly. Paul warns us about how we, too, can fall into a danger zone. One of the greatest danger zones we all have is our pride, we think things will never happen to us. We think we are beyond certain sins of the flesh, but Paul teaches us in I Corinthians 10:12-13, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. We need to beware of the attitude that we can handle things or the idea it will never happen to us because it can!
David was a great man that God himself was pleased with. In I Samuel 13:14, God proclaimed that David was a man after His heart. Yet, David was not where he was supposed to be when he was on his rooftop watching Bathsheba bathe. He should have been on the battlefields with his men. He had placed himself in a dangerous position, but he still had a choice after he sinned by gazing at her. He could have turned and gone inside. Instead, he stood there watching her until his lust consumed him and sent her to come. This was the entrance into a danger zone that grew with murder, deceit, and great pain. His family and many others were destroyed because he chose to enter and remain in the danger zone.
I Samuel 13:14 “But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”
God saw Noah as so righteous that he allowed him to carry on the human race. He gave him a job to do, and Noah followed through against a world of opposition. Yet, in a weak moment, he entered a danger zone and allowed himself to become overcome with drunkenness.
Genesis 9:21 “And he drank of the wine, and was drunken, and he was uncovered within his tent.”
Abraham was a just man, but became fearful and had a lapse in his faith when he lied about Sarah being his sister. He feared the king would kill him so that he could have Sarah as his wife. He placed himself and Sarah in a danger zone.
Genesis 20:2 “And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.”
Where is your danger zone? What sins have you been weakest to in the past? Do you allow yourself to be in positions where you know you will be tempted? Do you value your reputation and your testimony so much that you place safeguards in your life?
For me, there are several areas that I have drawn some lines that I will not cross. I have a policy that I will not be alone anywhere with another man other than my husband, sons, or grandsons. I do this to protect my testimony. If a man comes to my door and my husband is not home, I will not invite him in. When I am at church preparing for choir practice or any other function, I lock myself in and do not permit any man to come in until other people have arrived. I do not ride in a car with another man by myself. You may say that I am ridiculous, and that is your opinion, but my testimony and my reputation are vital to my spiritual growth and the protection of all those I am connected to. I know how tongues gossip and how people always want to believe the worst. Therefore, I do everything in my power to avoid situations that can be misconstrued.
Danger zones are everywhere, and when we don’t place safeguards in our lives to avoid them, we are being foolish. We are being lazy with the most precious thing we have that will help us to be a witness for Christ, our reputation. Anyone can fall into sin and ruin their reputation quickly. It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and a weak moment to destroy it. We all are susceptible to failure. We can overcome sin through Jesus, but we must be diligent in our pursuit of holiness and be aware of the lure of the flesh. We must be willing to think things out instead of going with the flow. We cannot be lazy when it comes to protecting our lives and the reputation of the church, our family, our pastor, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Everything we do is a reflection of everything we are associated with. Therefore we are to stay as far away from danger zones as possible. We are to walk in the middle of the mountain top, not on the edge. We are to continue to run our race with patience and press toward what we know pleases Christ. Steer clear of danger and keep our focus on Jesus.
I Corinthians 9:24 “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”
Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
