“Plato once rebuked a person for engaging in a gambling game. And when the person protested that he had only played for a ‘trifle,’ Plato replied: “The habit is not a trifle.” ~Plato
When I look at my past, even back to my youth, anything that became a bad or questionable habit for me or in friends, started out as innocent dabbling/exploring… not looking ahead or thinking of the consequences. Evil or degenerative ‘exploring’ can quickly lead to bondage. Drugs, alcohol, pornography, bad degenerative movies or negative content video gaming, any behavior that brings chains of addiction/bondage should be avoided as though a plague.
Often youth explore, with friends, seeking ‘good fun’. Any friend or collectively, friends, whose personalities are stronger, more assertive than our own with possible evil results, MUST BE AVOIDED. ‘Good fun’, taken to excess, is no longer productive and leads us down a path from which it becomes difficult to escape. Genuine freedom under Christ comes with the opposite. When we choose to elevate ours and others’ lives with energy towards habits approved of our Heavenly Father, we have inner peace, are in harmony with His purposes and open to more instruction from Him.
Because He is totally selfless and has only our BEST long term interests at heart our spirit, so schooled by Him, is more free. This is because any other alternative, like “I can take care of myself, thank-you” or “I just want to dabble in Satan’s playground for a little while” totally shuts out His unlimited wisdom and influence and is a path towards Satan’s bondage. Christ knows us far better than we know ourself, so anything he does to discipline us is always for our good and has a sweet end result. We must always remember that our mortal perspective is short sighted. His is an eternal perspective always for our best good, even when it seems he’s abandoned us (… Remember on the cross, He was left to suffer alone for a time. Though not so, there are times when we will feel totally abandoned. That too has an eternal purpose.) This life was never designed to be all fun and carefree because that has no real growth, only atrophy (Webster – wasting away, arrested development). Though His path is not always easy, it is easier than without Him and is full of blessings for the faithful. And… with Him as our best friend, we can do it! kdm
(Next entry will visit ‘voices’ that affect decisions)
