You change when you feel the heat.
Let me repeat that: you don't change when you see the light. You change when you feel the heat.
My pastor said that this past Sunday, and it stayed with me. It certainly is the way most people process "life experiences," let's call them. Bad choices, worse decisions, unintended consequences.
For most people, when those unintended consequences catch up with them, they straighten up. As a friend used to say, they don't want no mo'. Bad breakups, financial disasters, run-ins with the IRS, jail time, etc. Things that just downright hurt, either physically or emotionally can set people on a better path.
And then there is that 1%. The people who don't learn. They double down on their stiff-necked, rebellious ways, almost as if they're flipping life the middle finger.
The Bible calls these people fools. They're a handful, to say the least. In scripture, especially in Proverbs, God doesn't seem to have much patience for them. In fact, we're urged to get away from them posthaste.
Easier said than done, of course, if they are family or friends. I think one of the hardest things I've ever dealt with was negotiating the tricky terrain of interacting with a fool. It's like some sort of crazy game the way these people wreak havoc on themselves and others, and then expect you to clean up the mess.
It'll drive you to your knees, that's for sure. And recently, it dawned on me that we should be praying for protection from their chaotic lives. They can sling the fiery darts, but we don't have to catch them. We're overcomers, y'all. We're hidden in God with Christ. No weapon formed against us will prosper. We've got a shield of faith and I'm raising mine up!
Can I get an amen? Do you have any fools in your life?
