BBD 02.06.14 Avoid and Abstain (Classic)
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The Burning Bush Devotional
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Classic from 2005
02.06.14
Avoid and Abstain
Abstain from every form of evil. - 1 Thessalonians 5:22 NKJV. (Another translation says: “Avoid every kind of evil.”)
In Milwaukee, a there was a deputy sheriff who was off
duty and at 3:00 a.m. in the morning solicited a prostitute. He probably was
not expecting what happened next. What happened was that he was robbed by
several people and thrown into the trunk of his car. An anonymous caller did
contact police telling them where the deputy could be found. Sheriff David A Clarke said, “I am
disgusted that this officer would betray his family, the public trust, our
organization and himself.” The deputy
was charged with solicitation and obstruction of justice. He was also suspended
from his job as a deputy.
In one year, in the United States according to Department
of Justice statistics, (1997) 155,160 men were injured (requiring treatment in
a hospital emergency room) in what is commonly called “bar fights”
involving alcohol or drugs. Just 49,923 women were injured in “bar fights”
involving alcohol or drugs during that same year.
There are multitudes of other examples that could be
found and used, but these two illustrate the very practical wisdom contained in
1 Thessalonians 5:22. If the deputy had not been out cruising the streets,
looking for a prostitute at three in the morning, he would not have ended up
finding so much trouble. If all of those men and women involved in bar fights,
had not been in those places to begin with, and had not been drinking or doing
drugs they probably would not have ended up in a hospital emergency room.
The old KJV translates 1 Thessalonians 5:22 as, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” There are some things that we may consider as borderline
as to whether it is evil or not evil, good or bad. However, we should avoid
those things that have the appearance of being bad even if it is what we would
consider a gray area. When in doubt don’t do it. Don’t be a part of it if you
are not sure.
There are, however, many things that we know very well
that we should not participate in, be a part of, partake of, etc. Pornography
is one of those things. How would God have us to handle that temptation? Avoid
it and abstain from it. If you are tempted, use a filter.
We, also know, that we should not use/abuse illegal
substances. However, it will be very hard to avoid using if we are constantly
surrounded by people who are using those substances. You may have to change
your circle of friends to avoid the temptation and the peer pressure to do
those drugs.
The same thing may be necessary for many other situations
where peer pressure is involved. It is never easy to give up friendships that
we have grown comfortable with and enjoy. But if those friendships have the
potential of destroying everything good about our lives - we must make a
choice. Will we do what we know God wants us to do or will we continue
recklessly down a path we know is filled with danger?
When it comes to evil or even the appearance of evil it
is best to avoid it or to abstain from it. And, when in doubt do the same, avoid
and abstain.
Copyright © 2005-2014. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
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to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.
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