The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. -Proverbs 10:9
One of the many memorable events of my childhood was “The Great Water Balloon Fight.” This historic event began one hot summer day when I was around 12 years old. Someone had the brilliant idea that a great way to cool off would be to have a water balloon fight. We decided that the combatants would be the older boys of the neighborhood against the younger boys. I was, of course in the younger player’s camp while my brother Tom was in the elder group. The rules were simple: Both teams had an allotted amount of time to stockpile their water balloons, and then at a designated signal, the fight would begin. One of the more innovative boys on my team had the idea of inventing defensive weapons. The top of a TV tray was procured for this purpose thus providing my teammate with a passable shield. Another boy from my team hastily acquired a football helmet, and we were ready.
The fight began in earnest with both sides flinging balloons filled to bursting with deadly accuracy. At some point, however, one of the boys from the older team became angry over a water balloon that struck him in the face (a rule against this tactic had not been specified; therefore the throw was ruled perfectly legal). This older boy, in a fit of rage, ran after my teammate with what appeared to be mayhem in mind. The boy being pursued dropped the TV tray he had been using for a shield and ran for his life. The older boy, not seeing the tray in time, slipped on it; his feet shot out from under him and he landed hard on his back. The rest of us could only stand by in horror as this terrible scene played out. The older boy limped home vowing vengeance as the younger one taunted him from a safe distance. That pretty much ended the water balloon fight. My brother Tom and I still laugh about this even now.
The Bible says that the man of integrity walks securely. When we are walking with Christ and seeking to do His will, our steps will be secure; we will see the potential pitfalls that come before us and we will be able to maneuver around them. The devil has a subtle way of placing temptations before us, much like the TV tray that caused such problems in the aforementioned story. However, as we walk with the Lord, He will empower us to be aware of temptation that we might continue walking securely.
Be careful as to the evil that is all around us. When we walk with the Lord in His strength and power, we are blessed with the peace of God in our hearts. Obstacles are moved away and potential trouble spots are recognized. The result is daily victory in the Lord.
Do not walk in defeat; walk in the victory Jesus Christ offers.
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