Shortcuts

May 21st, 2009

The fifth verse of this morning’s Proverb (21) kind of jumped out at me, “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” After I read this, my mind immediately pictured those darn people that stand in front of me in line at the convenience store and buy 5 minutes worth of lottery tickets. I’m sure you’ve seen these people (I offer no apology to you if you are one of them); they buy all these different type of scratch off tickets and then they go out to their car, scratch off the tickets and if they have a winner they come back in and buy more tickets. The lottery is our path to instant riches and is one of many “shortcuts” our society is into these days.

I know people who’ve taken relationship shortcuts (affairs), business/work shortcuts (lying, cheating, stealing),spending shortcuts (credit/debt), eating shortcuts (gluttons), exercise shortcuts (no exercise), sleep shortcuts (medication induced) and the list goes on and on. For the people above who finally see the light and make a change; they understand that nothing good in life happens because of taking a shortcut.

Years ago I almost died from my “shortcut” to serenity and the escape from the stress of my life…i.e. drugs and alcohol. Today I know that anything good in life is a result of a good plan, hard work and the willingness to let God guide the plan “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3). “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” (Proverbs 13:4)

If you are struggling these days and find yourself suffering from going “the easier, softer way” stop the shortcut living and work a God plan.

P.E.A.C.E.

P.S. There is only one shortcut/ticket that is worth taking and that is the shortcut God created for us so we (despite our sinful ways) can have eternal life…thank you Jesus!