How I longed to go to the beach as a child! Living in South Carolina offered residents access to several beaches. I would hear the other kids at school talk about the ocean and staying in a beach house for a week. They would be so excited as they told the tales of what they had done with friends and family. I remember more than once lying in bed and dreaming what the beach was like. Though I lived less than one hundred miles from Myrtle Beach, it might as well have been one hundred thousand miles.
Being raised in an extremely poor family meant there was never a vacation. My father made a meager salary and there were ten mouths to feed, and there were way too many dollars spent on alcohol and tobacco. We did not own a car, so getting to the beach was not even a possibility.
I have told the story of Margarita Poulos many times. Ms. Poulos would pick up the kids from our home on Sundays and take us to church to be in her Sunday school class. At six years old, I did not care that much about church, but I tell you what I did care about – prizes! Margarita Poulos offered all kinds of prizes and rewards if we memorized passages of scripture. She offered five dollars to anyone learning all the books of the Bible. Five dollars! I am not sure I had ever had my own five-dollar bill! By the next Sunday, I knew all sixty-six books of the Bible.
Then came the big prize! If a child had perfect attendance for an entire quarter (thirteen weeks) that child would go to the beach with Margarita Poulos. Nothing would have kept me away from my Sunday school class for thirteen weeks. Each week, Ms. Poulos would put a star by each of our names. When the last Sunday of the quarter came, I was overjoyed as I got my final star. I was beach bound!
It is doubtful that I slept much the night before we left for our trip. Just think – on Monday at school, I would be the one to talk about the beach. I was ecstatic. Saturday arrived and we drove to Myrtle Beach. Though we were packed like sardines for the two-hour drive, it felt like we were in a luxury bus. All we thought about was arriving at the beach!
As we claimed our space on the sand, my sister and I could hardly wait to get in the water. We didn’t even know how to swim in a pool, much less the ocean. At first, we just dabbled in the water, and then we went a little deeper and a little deeper. Ms. Poulos was keeping an eye on us, but at some point, we went from dabbling to going deeper and deeper into the ocean. We had no fear. After all, that ocean would never take hold of us! We were much too strong!
In the space of maybe half an hour, we found ourselves being sucked farther and farther from safety. Ms. Poulos was desperately trying to get our attention. We were drifting deeper and deeper into danger. Finally, a lifeguard was sent out to get us and bring us back to safety. Though embarrassed at being in that position, we quickly responded to the lifeguard and came back to the safe place.
This little story seems to correlate with what is happening to so many of God’s people. We have been given the reward of salvation through the death of Jesus Christ. Because we are in His grip, we no longer have to drift aimlessly. We abide in Him.
My sister and I thought we were strong enough to dabble and even go deeper and still be safe. It almost cost us everything. Brothers and sisters, if we are not careful, we can get pulled into an ocean of compromise. Compromise with the world is a danger for even the strongest Christian. It can start out so subtle. “Yeah, I know this is not something I need to be a part of, but I know I’ll stay strong.” I did not realize that the deeper I went into the ocean, the more disastrous things would become.
Satan doesn’t show up in his red suit with his pitchfork and pointed tail saying, “Follow me and I can destroy your integrity. Come on! Have fun! All it will cost you is your family. Let’s go a little deeper and that way you can lose your ministry and your life.” It never happens that way!
No, it is more along this line, “You are under so much pressure, go out and have a little fun. Hear how much laughter is coming from the crowd at the bar?” “You know sex is exciting. Who said there are rules? How can it be wrong if it feels so right.” “Hey, why not get involved in that shady deal. That’s what it takes to get ahead.” I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.
There are always consequences to sin. Always! It might not be immediate. It could take years. It can even affect future generations – our children, our grandchildren, our nieces, and nephews. Make no mistake about it, consequences will show up.
The only way to stand strong in this culture is to know the Word of God and live by that Word. Please do not consider this as a negative word. Quite to the contrary! In today’s culture, it is so easy to drift. Jesus is throwing out a life preserver to those who have drifted. Come back to shore.
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (New Life Version)