I love to learn from people. I met a cashier at a c-store. He was in his mid 50’s, well groomed, and pleasant. I was engaging him to get to know him and take the conversation spiritual, if I could. I found out this was his part-time job, but his full-time “job” was playing poker. Poker was the PASSION of his life. (BTW — If he was good at it, he wouldn’t need a part-time job, would he?)

Another man about the same age, with whom I’ve been dialoguing is an alcoholic. Alcohol isn’t his passion, but it is his go-to for comfort. Somehow he can hold a job, but as he put it,  “Life is real hard.” I asked him if life was hard because of bad decisions he had made. He agreed. My heart breaks for both of these men. 

How good it is to stop and take an objective look at our lives. Could some, or many, be headed for trouble just like those two men? One knows he is in trouble. The other doesn’t. They didn’t plan to be where they are now twenty or thirty years ago.  Evaluate the path you are on. If headed in a bad direction, which is not pleasing to the Lord, or is compromising, now is the time to stop. Prune the weeds out of your life. Those weeds may not be gambling or alcohol, but you probably know what it is in your life that isn’t pleasing to the Lord. Sure, it will take courage, but that is what being a man is about. We live for Him Who died for us. 

The fear of the Lord is such a good thing. At the least, it keeps us from doing stupid things. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).