The Risk of Infection
The greater our effectiveness and success, the greater responsibility, authority, and challenges that we are given. The higher we go up the mountain, the more difficult the climb. And the higher we go, the steeper it gets, the greater the risk of falling, and the greater the likelihood that people are going to take shots at us. It’s almost expected as we are putting ourselves out there for everyone to look at.
If you have ever been in a leadership position of any kind, you probably know what I am talking about. You are an easy target because that is the position that you are in. And in a leadership position, honestly, that is part of the risk associated with the position that we sign up for. We are going to be criticized, and being in the front makes us an easy target. Take the president of the United States, and how much criticism they have had to deal with over the last few decades.
Scripture:
“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” – Galatians 5:9
Observation/Application:
So how can we protect ourselves from the risks associated with this position? The answer to this question, just like the answer to all questions that we face, is by the help of God. How do we deal with it when yeast starts to creep into our world and mess up our batch of goodness? The answer comes by recognizing who is providing all of our goodness in the first place. It comes by asking for help from God our Father, maker of heaven and earth, almighty all powerful, everything of which is His. And by His power, not by our power, we can do all things through Christ who is our strength.
And if we look at yeast from the standpoint of being sin in our lives, then we have to acknowledge that sin is what is keeping us from God, and from the amazing things that God has planned for us in this life! So how can we cleanse out the yeast? Only God can forgive us our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ.
How can we keep yeast from creeping into our lives and keeping us from God’s best? We have to be keenly aware of sin, not only in our lives, but in the lives of those around us. We have to be aware of those causing agitation. Just as we are aware of do our best to use hand sanitizer and face masks to protect our bodies from virus and infection, so do we need to protect ourselves from virus and infection, and yeast, in other parts of our lives like in our minds and in our spirit.
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We can protect ourselves from the virus that tries to infect our minds when we start having negative thoughts. These negative thoughts and doubts do not come from our Creator. Also in our relationships, at home, on our teams at work, in sports. These destructive forces are like a fly in the ointment, a bug in the soup that spoils the whole batch. Negative and destructive forces in our lives can come in and spoil our families, our teams, our small groups, just like a virus can infect a whole classroom of children. When our bodies get the virus, we do our best to get rid of it quickly. Sports teams we’ll often see great athletes removed from teams because no matter how much talent they might have individually, the coach understands that the negative impact of that person on the team is not worth the negative effect on the team.
So let us keep watch for negative influences in our lives. Surrounding ourselves with positive people is a choice, just like allowing ourselves to be surrounded by a bunch of negative people is a choice. Allowing sin to infiltrate our lives is a dangerous game. Let us be mindful and cautious about the level of virus, yeast, and sin that we allow to enter our bodies, our dough, our lives.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your Word today. Help us to praise you at all times and in all circumstances. Help us to count it all joy! We know that we need to walk by faith Lord and not by sight. Do not let our eyes deceive us Lord, for we know that your plans are for good. Deliver us from the enemy Father God, and direct our every word, our every thought, our every deed. Fill us with your goodness Lord. We thank you for the people you have brought into our lives Lord. Let us be a blessing to them and for your glory. We thank you Lord for all that you have done, and are doing in our lives right now, and in the future Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.
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