Shortcuts

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!

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