Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me Sung by Selah
Stay on the Perimeters
A sweet couple allowed me the opportunity to pick blueberries at their home. The only rule was that I was to stay on the perimeter of the blueberry bushes. The middle was overgrown and my assumption is that they thought I might get harmed. No problem, I thought.
We Would Anyway
Within the Perimeter!
As I was picking blueberries, I kept noticing all the clusters of berries on the inside. They looked so large and easy to pick. All I needed to do is to go inside. As I considered my options, I remembered my childhood. My precious grandmother would warn my cousins and me about the fruit. She would tell us not to eat the plums or apples. They were not ripe and we would get a stomach ache. We ate them anyway. She would warn us not to climb the muscadine arbor because we would knock the grapes off the vine. The grapes seemed bigger and better on the top. We would anyway.
Who Would Know
As I considered these memories, with a smile on my face, the thought crossed my mind that I would most likely not get caught. Who would know that I slipped inside and gathered those luscious berries?
Stay Within the Guidelines
God has set perimeters for us to follow in our lives. Boundaries which we are to stay within. As a follower of Christ, we are to stay within the guidelines for our own safety and peace. It is true that perhaps no person will know if we step inside that perimeter, but God knows. The guilt and shame that follows take away the peace and joy we had in our hearts.
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.1.1-2.KJV
The Progression of Sin
In Psalm 1, we see the progression of sin. First, He says to walk. Just casually going by and glancing within the perimeter. If a person lingers in thought, they are standing and giving much thought to the sin. Lastly, to sit might mean someone has fully committed to the sin. They have gone into the perimeter and are trying to find satisfaction in the sin.
Be Obedient
Blessed or happy is the man who stays on the perimeter. Peace and joy are found by being obedient to the Lord. The words of the Master can be heard saying, ‘well done.’
Walk Away With Peace
Thankfully, I have matured a bit. There was no way that I was going to betray my friendship by crossing the perimeter. It was a fun time down memory lane. I walked away with peace in my heart knowing I did the right thing and had picked a few blueberries to eat.
Paula Wallace
Pick the Righteous Out of a Crowd
