Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK

“Stay Inside the Village”
“She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home…” – Proverbs 7:11

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” – 1st Peter 5:8, 9

The implication here is clear—evil is lurking at every corner and it will to go to any length to find it’s next victim. The lesson in Solomon’s analogy should not be taken lightly—once you leave the safety of God’s protection and wisdom, look out!
I heard someone recently describe what some African villages do to protect themselves from predators, namely lions that have been known to attack at night. She said the huts are arranged in a circle, with the huts of those who have young children and the elderly, which represent the most vulnerable in an “inner circle.” Surrounding the village is a hedge of briars with thorns that are up to an inch in length. If that wasn’t enough, a fire is constantly burning in the center providing light and could be used as a weapon.
Sadly, she went on to say, that regardless of the precautions in place there are those who are foolish enough to step outside the protective covering and take their chances with the elements on the outside. A number of them are transformed from prey to becoming a “midnight snack.” It was at this point that she made a Spiritual analogy that truly hit a home run. I cannot quote her exact words but it went along this line: “When we choose to live outside the will of God we are like these foolish villagers—we become easy prey for the devil to get at our souls.”
I don’t know if it was her intent or not or whether Solomon meant it in this way but I will take this opportunity to make the following observation. I have been in pastoral ministry now for over 20 years. I am certainly no expert by any stretch of the imagination but I have noticed that there is a direct parallel with one’s personal growth and their church attendance and/or involvement! Is this true for everyone? No it is not—but from what I have experienced—the longer a person has become detached from the Body of Christ (i.e., the Church) they have the tendency to display any or all of the following: negativity, cynicism, fear, and a have general outlook that does not display Christ-like qualities.
Most Christians I know are fairly diligent about knowing how to defend themselves outside the Church and the reason for that is pretty simple—they have developed the tools necessary to know how to handle the “wayward woman;” the evil that is always lurking in the shadows.
But for those whose relationship with Jesus is marginal at best—they have neither developed the tools nor would they know how to use them if they had them! They need to stay “attached to the vine” as Jesus and draw strength from Him from every possible means.
I will make one more observation: For those who have the opinion that we do not need Church to be a Christian, I would make this statement—if it were not His Will, why did He create it? The Church is God’s creation—His design—and not mans. Do we make mistakes? Yes! Do people from the Church take advantage of one another, in Jesus’ name? Unfortunately, yes. Despite all the safeguards that should be in place, the “lion” that Peter describes can still find his way in.
But overall—when God’s people are working at their best—when the inner circles are in place and praying a “hedge of thorns” around them and creating a fire of holiness in the center, then we are strong and safe.
My advice to anyone…stay inside the village…the village of God! Don’t get caught outside where danger lurks.
Pastor J. T. Carnell