OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS (8): VOICE OF CAUTION AND CORRECTION
Things went really bad in a particular home. The woman of the house decided to pack out. The man of the house reached out to their teacher and pastor. When the pastor called, the wife said to him, “Sir, I cannot believe he called you. Anytime I mentioned that I would tell you about his actions, he would always respond that he does not care and does not fear anyone. Now, that I have left, I cannot believe he can call you. Sir, I cannot go back to such a man”. The pastor knew there was nothing he could do for a man who was not willing to be held accountable by the voice of caution and correction. Accusations and counter-accusations began to fly about infidelity, abuse of trust, and other matters.
One of the things that will help you overcome temptations is the presence of at least a voice of caution and correction. The higher you go, the more cautious you must be. The more money you earn, the more accountable you must become. Be pastored by a pastor who is not worshipping your wealth. Let it be a “Pastor Timothy” who can command the rich, warn the gifted, and rebuke the talented.
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
I Timothy 6:17 NKJV
You may not know how much of a sinner you can be until certain privileges come- money, power, position, and influence can intoxicate you. Deal with it.
By the time David messed up irredeemably, two critical relationships were absent in his life. There would have been a great voice of caution in his life.
The first was the voice of Jonathan. Jonathan was a friend like a brother. He was not in competition with David. He knew David had a great destiny. It was certain he would not have allowed his friend to go down the slope. Maybe he would have been around David at such a sensitive time. He would have warned him rather than urge him on. Even if he was not there, maybe David would have found a confidant to tell about his mess. David may not have killed Uriah.
Do you have a friend who can be a voice of caution or you are surrounded only by flatterers?
The second was the voice of Prophet Samuel. That is the voice of a Pastor, a Father, or a trainer. Do you have a pastor who can ask you tough questions? Do you have a father who can command you out of a “blind spot” that can lead to a disaster? Do you have the voice of a teacher who can tell you not to make a stupid decision? It takes humility to submit but in the long run, it pays greatly.
Do you know that David stayed in the dark phase for a while? How did God help him? He sent another voice of caution and correction into his life called Nathan.
Someone is reading this that you can trace the depreciation in your life to the absence of voices of caution. Will you be humble enough to repent? Get back into a local church. Submit to training.
If you have outgrown the voices of caution and correction in your life because of the status that you have attained, you will need to repent quickly. The devil is setting you up for a fall. He will eat you up alive. He wants to get drunk in the delight of your fall.
There is a prayer I love to pray: May the critical voices in your life not be quiet when it is most essential.
Do you have a voice of caution and correction?
temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa