Dead or Alive

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? II Corinthians 6:14

Take a magnifying glass and examine a starfish. Feel its rough texture. Notice the small star-shape on the very top. Now turn it over. See the mouth in the center? Tentacles run down the length of each arm or ray. On the tip of each arm there are light sensors so the starfish can tell if it is light or dark. I doubt if we can actually see the light sensors in its hardened state. Just think, once this beautiful starfish was soft and pliable. It had no bones and pulled itself along over rocks and shells and anywhere it wanted to go. It wrapped itself around tightly closed shells and with strong arms pulled the shells apart for tasty morsels of clams and mussels and other shellfish. Now it lies motionless on the beach or in a shell arrangement. Its strength is gone, its light sensors put out. Its part in the food chain of life is finished.

There was once a man whose strength was renowned. He pulled down the gate of a walled city. He killed a lion with his bare hands. He knew the Light of the World but he played in the edges of darkness. Playing on the edge of darkness caused Samson his strength and his sight. It cost him his ability to do great and mighty things for God. Samson was used to pull a mill. He was taken into a temple of a false god. He spread his feet and arms like the starfish and bowed his head. With a mighty prayer he pulled down the columns of that temple and destroyed more of the enemies of God in his death than he had in his life. How much more could Samson have accomplished for God had he not entangled himself with friends who did not know God?

How often do we entangle ourselves with the things of this world? We choose friends that we think will make us popular but we fail to befriend those who would strengthen our spirit.  We busy ourselves with technology but forget to look into God’s Word. Our eyes are put out to the Truth. We play on the edge of darkness with the friends we choose and the things we allow in our minds through our eyes. Will we one day find ourselves hardened by the darkness, unable to affect the spiritual lives of the lost because we have lost our own spiritual lives?

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. II Corinthians 6:1