Life Suckers

1 Timothy 6:11-12The Message (MSG)

But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.

Sugar is a sweet substance that many of us crave on a daily basis.   Take suckers for instance, the sweet taste, that curbs a craving for an instant.  Our taste buds jump for joy.  The simplicity of something so simple can change our mindset for a brief moment.  What if we left that sucker in our mouths for a long period of time?  What happens?  Nothing good, that is for sure.  A sugar rush and then a sudden crash.  Our immune system is effected.  Over time our teeth are effected, and even possible diseases could start lurking.

What about life suckers?  Things in life that tend to trick us into believing it is “normal” and “ok” to partake in for a brief moment.  What if that brief moment turns into a few brief moments?  Then what if those few brief moments start seeping into our “spiritual bodies”.  What harm is it doing to us immediately and eternally.  What are these life suckers?  Here are a few that I was able to come up with tonight as I brainstormed:  worry, anxiety, anger, gossip, fear, guilt, temptation, and hate.  Some intertwine with each other, most begin with one and roll into the next.  If we let these things sit on our heart and in our minds, they tend to dig cavities and disease in our thinking, way of life, and demeanor.  

I like sugar as much as the next “Sweet Tooth Queen/King”.   A little sugar doesn’t harm you when you enjoy it occasionally,  However, “too much at once is when the trouble starts, and clearly, your body will let you know when it’s had enough” (Vicki Santillano / Divine Caroline, 2009).  These life suckers are present every day and for some of us, myself included, can be suckers dealt with on a moment to moment basis.  What are some ways to make sure that they don’t eat away at our spiritual mentality?  Attending a church, daily devotionals, small groups, a Bible study, but most importantly opening the Bible.  If you don’t know where to begin, reach out and ask.  We all had to start somewhere, and it is a choice as to when and how you start fighting that life sucker.

Be Blessed!