Memorial Day Weekend is often seen as the traditional start of summer and when many families take their first trip to the beach. Most beach goers are familiar with the hazards inherent to the beach. Colored flags tell us if the waters are calm, moderate, or unsafe due to strong currents or dangerous marine life. Airplanes pull banners warning of rip currents and telling us to stay out of the water. These are perils of nature which lie invisible beneath the surface. One can be standing in perfectly calm water and be one step away from an unseen hazard that can quickly end in disaster. Sin is a lot like that. We are usually aware of the highly visible storms of sin that lie on the surface: things like murder, adultery, drunkenness, or stealing. But what about those illusive sins that lurk below the surface of our hearts but can be just as deadly? Here are three such sins that we may want to avoid:
- ENVY: Psalm 27:4 “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous, but who is able to stand before envy?” Envy is not the same as being covetous. Coveting is most often for material things while envy is for the immaterial. Envy is when we are single and wish we were married (or the other way around.) Or when we have no children and envy those who do. Or when we or a loved one is sick and we envy those who are well. Just before His ascension the Lord Jesus was telling Peter of the things that he would soon face. Peter asked about John to which the Lord replied “what is that to you?” Once we take our focus off of the Lord and start comparing our circumstances to those of others we fall into the undertow of envy from which it can be very difficult to surface.
- BITTERNESS: Hebrews 12:15 “lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Scripture describes bitterness as a root which like kudzu will engulf anything in its path. Another analogy that might fit is a rip current. Once we slip into the pull of bitterness it’s quite difficult to overcome. “Are you kidding? After what they did to me!” Jesus made it clear that the Heavenly Father’s forgiveness of our sins is directly linked to our forgiveness to others (Matthew 7:14-15); and graphically described the horrific consequences of unforgiveness in Matthew 18:34-35. A root of bitterness can lead to a life of suffering spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
- UNBELIEF: Matthew 14:31 “O, thou of little faith, wherefore did thou doubt?” Unbelief is the undertow of sin because it relentlessly pulls us further and further away from God. Unbelief is the exact opposite of faith and leads us into doubt, fear, and a host of other sins. Unbelief causes us to doubt the goodness of God. Scripture tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God and that he who comes to God must believe that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6); and that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17.) Every day we make literally hundreds of choices and decisions both consciously and unconsciously which are either based on the Truth of God’s Word or not. Those decisions that are guided by His Word prove our trust in and love for Him. Those decisions that are not guided by His Word prove that there is something or someone that we do love and trust more than Him, most often ourselves.
Unless one has experienced a strong undertow or rip current it is impossible to appreciate their immense power and how suddenly one can be overcome and swept away.. Apart from being rescued it will most likely end in disaster. When caught in the devastating power of these unseen forces perhaps the best plan is to first admit the dire circumstance we are in followed by a really short prayer like the one Peter prayed as he sank beneath the waves:
“Lord, save me!”
When facing the storms of life, it’s great to have a lifeguard who walks on the water!