It was a cloudy, overcast day as I drove from Chatham to Blenheim. One would think that sunglasses would be the last thing needed, but that was not the case. The combination of snow on the ground and the sun still managing to make its presence felt suggested very strongly that I don my aviators. Light sensitive, they were not at their maximum darkness, and the light shading they offered was just the ticket.
It was rather strange to wear sunglasses with cloudy skies, but my eyes were bothered by whatever brightness was available that day. Not wanting to be an unsafe driver or to give myself an entirely avoidable headache, I took the necessary precautions. I felt stupid at first but I’m old and cranky enough not to really care what other people think of my appearance.
Donning my shade apparel for the sake of safety and comfort made me think of the number of times we all avoid doing just that. The danger of finding a nail when just going to the shop for a second is too little to justify wearing proper shoes. It’s only raining a wee bit so I won’t wear a raincoat for my forty minute walk. I’m only going to cut one thing with the dull knife so I won’t bother sharpening it. Go ahead, try it yourself. Think of one slightly risky activity you’ve done while avoiding any safety precautions. You were probably luck most of the time, but lucky only goes so far…
Of course, as a Presbyterian, I don’t believe in luck. So, even when I run my table saw for a second I put on goggles and ear protection. When it’s starting to get dark, I wear something bright and my dog, Mentor, wears a safety vest if we go for a walk. I never mow the lawn barefoot (and yes, I have seen people do it) and I even wear my seat belt when Lois and I have to juggle our cars in the driveway. It makes sense to take precautions when we know the risks.
So, why is it that we don’t ‘arm’ ourselves better when it comes to our faith life. Living is hard enough without having God on our side. Living with God on our side but without knowing the basics of what He expects is plain silly. He made us. He knows what works and what doesn’t for us. He’s given us all the safety measures we need in the Bible. So why do we risk pain, misery and embarrassment by not taking adequate precautions and studying our Bible more often?
It’s not that hard. Regular worship attendance helps. A weekly Bible study strengthens things. Daily devotions are pretty easy to do. And don’t say you don’t have time. Don’t let your busy-ness get in the way. Making the best possible use of God’s Word is a help, not a hindrance. Untold mistakes and foolishness could be avoided if we knew what God expected of us. We most likely would be able to save oodles of time if we didn’t mess up as much as we do. All it takes is a little precautionary study. The safety tips offered in the Bible could make all the difference between a good life and a great one.
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