The Risk Of The FerTiLe VAlley

Once upon a time, there was an intelligent, tall, chocolate, handsome man, with well to do relatives. Many glamorous town girls wanted to marry him. His relatives introduced a lot of their friends to him. But Physique was nothing to him. He ended up meeting and marrying a young village girl, who was not as polished as the ladies introduced to him. He saw the Christian values, the natural beauty and the potential of the girl, and knew that both of them could have a successful family life. He was right. They raised an enviable family. Do we always have to choose what appeals to the eyes? Genesis 13:10 Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.

Lot saw how beautiful that land was and immediately decided to separate from Abraham and move to Sodom & Gomorrah. He didn't consider the mannerisms of the people there and the effect that they would have on his family. The people there were carefree and worshipped other gods. Apart from narrowly missing total destruction, his generation ended up being born of Incest, the Moabites. Mathew 7:13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go in by it. Most people using the wide road appear free, happy, fun to be with, entertaining. They 'flow', because they have no boundaries or restrictions.

A narrow road is restrictive at first, enjoyable long-term, focused, purpose-driven. But to the naked eye, appears unhappy, restricted, not fun to be with, uptight. When we choose the wider path, we slowly drift. When we live in an environment of carefree people, we slowly drift towards their behaviour. Deuteronomy 7:7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples. God does not choose by appearance. Israelites were the least in number compared to other communities. God could have chosen a community with more power and more obedient. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the mighty things; and the lowly things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. Choosing things from appearance only can lead to lots of problems:- Choosing a woman for her face only can be lethal. Choosing a man for his money only can lead to suicide! Choosing a 'fat' offer without factoring in other issues can lead to destruction. And No. You are not better than Solomon and Ahab, who choose women wrongly. Their wrong choices made them end up worshipping Chemosh and Baal. Songs of Solomon 2:15 Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards, for our vineyards are in blossom.

The little foxes slowly destroy the blossoming vineyard. The little bad habits we copy, slowly destroy our values. Choose wisely. For the wages of sin is death.