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Stealing Watermelons
My
Dad grew up on a cotton farm in
West Texas
. He
recalls that farmers in that
area would often plant a few watermelon vines in their
fields. The
farmers generally wouldn’t grow these melons to
sell, but rather to eat – and to share!
Most of the farmers didn’t mind if a group of
young people would occasionally grab a melon out
of their patch and enjoy it together.
Despite
the generosity of the local farmers, on occasion a of
group of teenagers
was known to visit one of the local watermelon patches
during the night and help themselves to as many
delicious watermelons as they could eat.
Not only that, they would also smash some of
the melons that they didn’t eat.
Now,
why would they do that?
When they probably could have received the
farmer’s blessing in obtaining a few melons, why did
they choose to steal them under the cover of darkness,
and even destroy many of the watermelons that they
didn’t even care to eat?
Some
would say it was just plain “meanness.”
That is probably true, but we also learn
something about ourselves and about how temptation
works. . .
What
makes SIN so appealing is that it is pleasurable:
And, there is something about us that finds
that pleasure difficult to resist.
So, in our moments of weakness (all too
frequent), we indulge ourselves even though we know in
our hearts that it is wrong.
We enjoy the pleasure, but only for a moment
(see Hebrews 11:24-25).
This
is part of SIN'S deception: it promises pleasure
but doesn’t advertise that its pleasure is short
lived. It
also ignores the consequences.
Sin, therefore, is very alluring.
God
has blessed us with everything that we need, and more!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down
from the Father of lights, with whom there is no
variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
Yet, Satan wants us to believe that
there is more to be gained by “stealing” –
going outside the will of God to experience some
temporal pleasure.
The truth is that this is SIN, and SIN has
terrible, eternal consequences (Romans 6:23;
Revelation 21:8).
But
God, because of His great love for us, continues to
GIVE and GIVE and GIVE.
In fact, “God
so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
We
show contempt for the love of God when we disobey Him
and commit SIN.
Yet, He will forgive us if we will believe
in Jesus
(Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins
in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess
Jesus before men (Matthew 10:32), and be baptized
(immersed) in the name of Jesus for
the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).
Then, as we “walk in the light” of His
Word, He will continue to cleanse us from all
sin
(1 John 1:7).
Stealing
watermelons may be a thrill to some, but needed
forgiveness and true, lasting joy are found in
following God’s will.
Aren’t
YOU tired of stealing
watermelons?
God bless you!
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
--
"Thanks Dad!
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