Mind The Gap

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.

Ephesians 5:15-16

THE CONTEXT OF TODAY’S VERSE IS the apostle Paul’s admonition for us to live as children of light and abstain from sin and immorality. Instead, we should do what we know is pleasing to God. Paul mentions some examples of behaviors we should avoid, such as sexual immorality, greed, coarse joking, obscenity, and drunkenness, but let’s not misunderstand what he’s saying. Paul is not giving us a checklist of things to do and not do; instead, he is urging us to be purposeful and wise in our choices. His list of bad behaviors are examples of what unwise choices will lead to. We can find ourselves there when we aren’t careful about the choices we make, allowing the culture around us to shape our character.

When you walk across a wooden plank bridge, for example, being careful doesn’t just mean looking out for things that might knock you off; it also means being deliberate about where you step. Applied to our daily lives, this means finding out what pleases the Lord through time in His Word and in prayer, and then obeying what He shows us.

It’s easy to look back at the end of a week and grade ourselves on Paul’s list—didn’t get drunk, didn’t swear, no pornography, played well with others—but were we deliberate? Did we make the most of every opportunity? Pursuing God is more than just trying to avoid sin.

BOTTOM LINE

Being careful is not just being cautious; it also means being deliberate.

Moment of Strength: Deuteronomy 5:32