The need for speed may lead your soul to bleed!

Probing Proverbs: 1:16 They rush to commit evil deeds. They hurry to commit murder.

As odd as this may sound, this actually happened some years ago. A mortician came up with an unusual idea. He had five large windows installed in his funeral home, and a road paved to drive by the windows. Each window was six feet long and would contain a body in its coffin. He called it “drive by viewing!” He felt that many people want to see a deceased friend or loved one, but are so busy they cannot afford the time. As he stated in an interview: “This way they can drive by and just keep on going!”

We live in an age that has maximized “busyness.” Although I enjoy much of what progress has brought us, there is a very clear down side. The pace we move our life at often ends up at a pace that can destroy us. I have just experienced this physically, and now I am in the process of retraining my body to get the rest it needs so I can remain healthy. Spiritually, this also can be a great disaster. In our haste to move we may end up in sin, which cuts our soul, if we are not careful we may end up spiritually bleeding to death! When you look through the Scriptures you should take note of how many people moved toward sin “quickly."

This should not surprise us, for in Scripture, right before the first murder was committed the Lord warned a young man that sin is waiting to pounce on him:

Genesis 4:6–7 “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?⁷ You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

  

This is a tactic that our enemy has employed since the beginning of time, but is now at its peak due to the progress of technology. As we look at this proverb consider the two keywords describing the approach to sin. “Rush” and “hurry” are words that communicate haste.

Notice that speed has everything to do with committing evil! The busier we are, the faster we move, which translates to less time we will have to ponder our steps. That is the satanic strategy! Instead of a thoughtful response–we react! Words come out before we think! Actions take place before we count the cost. When we hurry to express our emotions or to take a step of action we are in danger!

This is something I can speak of from a very personal point of view. As I grew up I cultivated a reactionary pattern in a lot of my life. There is a positive when it comes to an emergency situation, and I have been involved in situations where there was no time to stop and ponder. So there is a small “good side” to reacting in a given situation. I want a quick timing from a medic at an accident scene. I do not want to be lying on the ground bleeding while someone takes too much time to ponder what to do. I need the bleeding stopped now! However, most of life is not lived from an emergency point of view, and reacting to normal daily life usually does not lead to proper solutions and peace. I struggle less with it now as I have matured, but it is still part of my nature and I must continue to focus on controlling that emotional response.

As Paul was trying to guide the young pastor, Timothy, he makes that very warning. This is advice we would all do well to heed.

1 Timothy 5:22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin.

I realize that we live in an age of immediate gratification and results. As I said, much of the progress can be enjoyed, but there must be balance. The longer I have lived the more I've understood that in most cases nothing has to be decided immediately. It is our impulsiveness and the urgency of our agenda that often drives the timing of what were doing.

Please understand, I am speaking from the point of view of much failure. It has affected many of my relationships, especially those closest to me. I have worked hard and will continue do so to make sure that I move to be a person that is proactive instead of reactive. So I'm not speaking to you as one who has mastered this, which is why I am making such a strong point from this one Proverb.

When something seemingly must be decided immediately or action must happen in a moment, except in an emergency situation, you would be wise to take a breath, rethink and spend some time talking to the Lord before your next step. The enemy and even our culture will drive us to do the opposite, yet if we understand how speed plays into the action of sin we will warn ourselves when we realize we're moving toward “reacting.”

I have seen enough victories from taking a moment to ponder before the next step, that I have understood the wisdom of keeping this truth in front of me as I walk this path we call life. SLOW DOWN! Talk to our Lord first! 

If I'm going to hurry, let me hurry to be holy!

“The so what?” Do you have a “Stop do list” built into your life? This is a list that helps you “make” time to do what is most important and beneficial in your life. This is a proactive way of approaching “busyness.” The last several decisions or actions you have taken, were they hurried? If so why? Were they real emergencies or could time be given to seek the Lord’s mind? The last argument you had with someone close to you – how quickly did things escalate? Why? The last time you felt angry, did you deal with that emotion or did that emotion drive you to do something? What does your answer show you about “who is handling who?”