It is human nature to avoid pain. Without special training to overcome our body’s natural impulses, we cannot keep from pulling our hand away from a hot burner. It’s what we call a reflex action, one that runs from the hand to the spinal cord and back to the hand. The action totally bypasses the brain.
We jerk, and it’s done. It’s a protection mechanism that keeps us from harm, if possible.
We need that reflex mechanism operating in our spiritual lives, too.
Let’s look today at seven things the Word says we are to avoid.
The Path of the Wicked
Proverbs 4:15 tells us: “Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.”
Foolish Discussions
Titus 3:9 tells us: “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”
Godless Chatter
2 Timothy 2:16 tells us: “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.”
Bringing Reproach Upon Ourselves
Nehemiah 5:9 tells us: “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?”
Opening Ourselves to Criticism
2 Corinthians 8:20 tells us: “We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us.”
Sexual Immorality
1 Thessalonians 4:3 tells us: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.”
Strife
Proverbs 20:3 tells us: “It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.”
So, let’s pay attention to our reflex actions. The next time someone begins to argue, do we jerk away to keep from being involved? Or, have we trained ourselves to endure the pain? Do we jerk away from sexual immorality, or have we trained ourselves to find it pleasurable?
God wants our avoidance mechanisms to be automatic, to go from fingertip to spinal cord and back to fingertip, and to totally bypass the brain.
If we have to ask ourselves if it’s okay, then we’ve already begun to train ourselves that it will be okay.
We should jerk away so fast that once it’s done, we look back and say, “Whew! I didn’t know I could move so quickly.”
Running from sin needs to be automatic. We shouldn’t give it a moment’s consideration.
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