Joshua Duggar should rot

The recent story of Joshua Duggar, and his 12-year-old sexual misconduct conviction, has ripped through the news. Now 27, Joshua admitted to unspecified inappropriate sexual behavior involving girls when he was 15, and this seems to coincide with an Arkansas State Police report from the same time (approximately 2006) involving “forcible molestation.” However, the police report, in order to protect the minors involved, has been heavily redacted, and now expunged, so names and details don’t show on the report.

As news of this reached TLC, they quickly pulled the plug on their hit show, 19 Kids and Counting, a reality program about the Duggar family, their faith in God and how they’ve raised 19 children. Because Christian culture is in the limelight, the fallout from this type of move is significant. There are some who feel TLC is persecuting this family because of their faith, even though TLC did something similar to the family show, Honey Boo Boo, when one of its main stars was allegedly dating a pedophile. Others are outraged by Joshua’s behavior, teenager or not, and think the punishment was fitting, even though Joshua already faced civil prosecution according to Arkansas law, sought counseling and offered help to his victims.

Let’s face it, there are no acceptable excuses for perpetrators of sexual abuse. Sex crimes carry with them severe long-term pain for the victims, and the monsters behind those crimes deserve severe punishment.

Personally, I think Joshua Duggar should rot for his crimes. And while I’m at it, so should you.

Maybe you’re not a confessed sexual abuser, but I’m sure you have a list of crimes (illegal or otherwise) that you should rot for, too. Let me know if any of these would register on your record:

Gossiping: I think there are few crimes more devastating, yet more acceptable, in our culture than Gossip. Gossip fuels rivalries, breaks up relationships, stirs distrust, ruins the workplace and splits churches faster than almost any other type of crime. We all hate it, yet most of us participate in it at some level.

Lying: A close cousin of Gossip, but far more deadly and deliberate. In gossip, I might spread an untruth but genuinely not know. “I heard it from so and so...” and spread it like bubonic. With a lie, I know what I’m saying isn’t true, and yet I share it anyway. Lies drove a young teenage cheerleader in Florida to take her own life last year. Lies have corrupted presidencies, destroyed pastors, landed people in jail, ruined marriages, split up families and started wars. Lying might be the most sinister crime of all (it was the first crime ever committed).

Power abuse: Have you ever abused your position of authority? Have you ever taken your frustration out on a child or spouse, a co-worker, employee or sub-contractor? In the Christian world, I’ve seen far too many pastors, elders, counselors, camp directors, association leaders, deacons, choir directors and ministry leaders who have misused their authority for their own gain. In the church, it’s usually veiled in a “I’m doing what’s best for the [insert cause/organizaiton/church here]” but most often reeks of personal gain. Outside the church walls, power abuse is a daily headline, from politicians to corrupt CEOs, from sports organizations to non-profit fundraising groups, where ever there is power and authority, there is the possibility that abuse is happening.

Lust: Here’s a crime that likes to sneak under the radar. Unlike the other three listed above, lust hides primarily in your thought life. Lust can camouflage itself in any environment, and can slowly release its venom for years. Decades. Sometimes called “Window shopping” or excused for “I look but I don’t touch,” lust corrupts the beauty of sex and turns it into a self-focused, self-pleasing experience. Lust turns other humans into objects, and fuels an industry for trafficked people around the world. Lust is not a victimless crime, yet we’re sold its virtues everyday online, on billboards and newspaper ads and television commercials.

I could go on, but I suspect that if you’re anything like me, I’ve already struck at something connected to you.

I don’t know the extent of Josh Duggar’s crimes, and neither do most of you. Right now, after reading hours of online stories and documents, the details of his offense are protected. His victims are, at this point, silent, and to the best of my knowledge, the legal, civil and spiritual consequences have been met. His crime is inexcusable, and his victims will live with his actions for the rest of their lives (as a pastor for almost 20 years, I’ve seen the devastating impact of this kind of personal violation), and he will bear the guilt, shame and, now, public disgrace as a result. What else should happen to him? I’m not sure I can answer that objectively.

Yet I wonder what would happen to you or me if our crimes were brought to light? What if your texts were broadcast to everyone, your browser history exposed on Facebook or your private conversations made public? What if your secret thoughts were televised nationally or your past indiscretions exposed on the evening news? What would we think about you? What would you think about me?

As I’ve read about the Duggar case I have come to at least three conclusions:

1. All of us are guilty, it’s just that not all of us are exposed for our guilt. Romans 3:23 makes it plain that everyone commits crimes (legal or otherwise, the Bible calls these crimes, “sin”), and every crime is worthy of punishment. Josh’s “forced molestation” is heinous, just as your gossip, my lying, your power abuse and my lust are the vilest of offenses. Don’t down play your crimes because they are unknown or socially acceptable, own the fact that you are guilty, too.
2. Admitting guilt is the hardest step, but it puts us on the best path. When news broke of Joshua Duggar’s crime, I admired this about his response: He owned it out of the gate (as far as I can tell), and accepted responsibility without a “but” (“I did it...but it wasn’t my fault...”). When’s the last time you looked at your list of crimes and owned them? When’s the last time you confessed them, even publicly (when appropriate), and began the process of restoration (when appropriate)? (Quick soap box: Restoration does not mean that a human relationship can be restored to its prior place. Restoration means that sin has been acknowledged, forgiveness has been granted, and offender and victim are restored to their right place with God. Consequences may continue, and the relationship may be forever changed, but restoration can still be a reality.) [end of soap box] You and I are only as sick as the secrets we keep, so admit your own crimes and begin the process toward health!
3. God’s justice and mercy are compatible, and His grace surrounds both. It seems that many responses to this Duggar scandal have been either justice (“I hope he rots in prison!”) or mercy (“He did the right thing, we should all forgive him!”). The truth is, God is the ultimate example of both, and neither His mercy or justice trumps the other, and both are filtered through His grace. God perfectly gives us what we deserve (justice), yet because of His mercy (not giving us what we do deserve) we’re not all dead. Holy justice means God can’t look away from our sin, it must be punished, and that punishment is death here, and eternal separation in the next life. In the same vein however, God withholds the full brunt of His judgement (mercy), giving us what we need (grace) in order to be changed into the likeness of His Son. When I cry out for God’s full justice to be unloaded on anyone (the sex abuser, the gossip, the power abuser, the liar or the pervert), I should ask God to do the same to me; and falling headlong into the full wrath of God’s full justice is a horrible place to be.

At the end of the day I realize I want mercy and grace in my life. I mess up and I know I deserve God’s unshielded, unbiased judgement, and I sit here today thankful that He provides mercy and grace. No matter what I feel about Joshua Duggar’s crimes, I want the same for Him, too. Because if there’s no mercy for Josh, there’s no mercy for me. That doesn’t excuse his sin, and it doesn’t require the removal of legal, social or public punishment that may come with it, any more than it excuses my sin or removes the punishment due me. His story just brings to light that all of us are guilty, all of us are in God’s justice system, and all of us are doomed without God’s grace and mercy.

I hope the reports I’ve read about Joshua Duggar’s confession and restoration are correct. I hope his victims have found help and healing through counselors who point them to Christ, and true hope through God who loves and restores the brokenhearted. I pray that you, too, will find healing for the crimes that have been forged against you, and that you and I will be reminded of the crimes we’ve committed against others, and do our part to undo the harm we’ve perpetrated.

May we all live aware of God's justice, be thankful for His mercy and be distributors of His grace.

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water.

I talked my way out of a ticket

There are few feelings worse than that sinking feeling you get when you’re driving, you look up, and you see the lights of a police car flashing behind you. When you pull to the right and the car zooms around you, you have this total sense of relief, but when he follows you to the side of the road, you have that sickening sense of doom; you’ve been caught.  

I generally try not to speed (much) and I’m not an angry driver weaving in and out of traffic, texting and screaming at people who don’t know I’m suddenly psychotic when I sit behind the wheel of a car. However, I have broken a few motor vehicle laws over the past 23 years of driving and on four occasions (three of them in 18 months) I was pulled over for said violations; and thankfully only had a ticket stick on one of those.

The first time I was pulled over occurred at 11:45 at night. I was taking my friend, Luree, home when I rolled through a stop sign at 5mph. It was 11:45 at night, there was no one at the 4-way stop, in fact the police officer was still 1/4 mile from the stop, but the truth was -- I never made a complete stop. Suddenly the lights were on, my adrenaline was pumping and I found myself on the receiving end of a $145 ticket. Even worse, I knew my parents would not be pleased because I was still on their insurance.

Two weeks later I had a court appearance on S. Lancaster Dr and I arrived plenty early for my hearing. I joined a rather large group of like-minded criminals and sat in the courtroom while people tried to weasel their way out of tickets. The judge was not easily moved, nor was he overly compassionate that day. He denied any mercy to the first five or six future convicts that made their cases before him.

Right before it was my turn, a young man in his early twenties tried to pull off the biggest sob story. He told the judge he was speeding but it wasn’t his fault. He was late to class (which also wasn’t his fault) and was trying to be a good college student (although the judge pointed out that his 3-f report card contradicted his statement). He blamed the weather, his friends and even his mom for the reason he was speeding. The judge didn’t budge. He lectured him on his poor driving, informed him that this third speeding ticket would probably revoke his insurance and assured him that one more violation in the next six months would also revoke his license.

The judge was not happy and now it was my turn.

After watching everyone before me try to convince the judge of their innocence and fail, I decided my best move was to simply to own my blunder. I stepped up to the bench as the judge looked over my rap sheet. He didn’t even look at me when he said, “It looks like you failed to stop at a stop sign.” I replied, “Yes sir.” He looked at my profile and said, “When I was a young man, they called that a California stop” to which I said, “They still do, sir.” He continued to study his papers, then said, “It looks like you just had a birthday...” (It was one week past my birthday) to which I quickly fired back, “Yes sir, and I was very disappointed you didn’t make the party.”

At this point, I wasn’t sure how much of a sense of humor our judge had, and was somewhat uncertain, even worried, that I was about to be thrown in jail for 15-20 years for trying schmooze a traffic judge. Instead, he looked up at me with a smirk. He then said, “I don’t remember receiving an invitation.” I laughed and said, “It must have gotten lost in all your paperwork.”

He shook his head, stamped something, scribbled his signature and handed me a form. “If you give this to the lady in back, and if you will attend a day of traffic school, I will wipe the ticket from your record like it never happened.” I happily received my reduced sentence, thanked the judge, and headed to the back table. There, the guy who had been up right before me was still arguing with the lady about how the polar vortex created a suction that made his car travel faster than the speed limit. I just smiled, paid my $15 court processing and fee and gladly accepted the exchange the judge had offered me.

While I was in back paying my fee and signing up for traffic school, the next person up was an 18-year-old girl who had received a moving violation for hitting a car (or mailbox...I can’t remember) while trying to paint her nails and drive. Like the others from earlier in the morning, she tried to use several excuses as to why she wasn’t guilty. Even before I was done, and while speed racer was still blaming global warming for his speeding issue, the judge tagged her hard with a hefty fine and a stern warning.

I thought it odd that no one just owned their guilt. In fact, had I not sat through several attempted sob story escapes, I’m certain I would have argued, too: “It was 11:30pm and no one was on the road...it was only 5mph...I didn’t hurt anyone...everyone does it....” And had I taken that approach, I’m sure I would have paid the full fine and would have been helping my parents pay the new insurance premiums.

In a strange way, that’s how so many of us approach our relationship with God. We don’t own our sin, and instead blame others. In a recent gallop poll, 74% of respondents who believed in heaven, said they were confident they would be going there when they died. An astounding 80% said they would get there because the good in their lives outweighed the bad. Now get this: Of those 80% that said the good would outweigh the bad, 75% of them based that on the “fact” that they lived by the 10 commandments, but only 2 in 10 could name more than 5 of the 10 commandments! So they agreed the standard for living was established by God, they were confident they were living by that standard, but they had no idea what the standard actually said!

God’s standard is impossible to live by perfectly -- you and I will always fall short. If we had to appear before Him and make a case for why He should allow us into Heaven, we would never make it, our rap sheet would be too long and the violations would be too many. In fact, just one violation of God’s law is too many, for His law demands perfection.

That’s the beauty of knowing God. He is a fair judge and knows that we have and will break His law. And while every violation must be punished with separation from Him, He accepts Jesus’ sacrifice as a sufficient payment for my violation. Jesus did what I couldn’t do, when He lived the perfect life, never breaking one of God’s laws. In doing this, He made Himself eligible to take my punishment, to be my traffic school, in order that I might have a right standing with God.

What do I have to do? I just have to own my sin, and accept Jesus’ free gift. I have to believe, in faith, that “Jesus died for my sins according to the Scriptures, and that He rose again, on the third day, according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). If I admit my sin before God, acknowledging that there is nothing I can do to make up for my sin, and then accept Jesus’ act of sacrifice as payment for my wrong doing, then I can live in freedom despite a really long criminal history! Jesus mediates between me and the Judge.

And that is how the Overboard Life begins. It’s not a matter of sheer will power, or me trying to keep all the commandments perfectly. It’s about the fact that Jesus did what I couldn’t do, paying the price I couldn’t pay. He will advocate for me before the Righteous Judge, I just have to own my part and accept His help.

I hope you’ve done that in your life and have started the Overboard journey with Jesus. If not, thankfully, it’s never to late with God. There is nothing you’ve done, or could ever do, that would make it impossible for you to accept His mercy given through His Son. Embrace the forgiveness God offers you and then start living today for Him.

Go ahead and take the plunge into the sea of God’s mercy and love...life is definitely better on the water with Him!

Blast from the past!

While our pastor was preaching this past sunday, I was reflecting on some issues in my own life. I hate when a good preacher makes you do that. As a result, I wanted to write a blog that sounded a lot like a blog I had written almost exactly two years ago. After failing to rewrite my previously written thoughts, I'm reposting this post from September of 2011, but viewing it with fresh eyes. I hope you will, too.

It’s amazing how often illustrations for living the Overboard life are found in the most unexpected and unusual places. When I read the Bible, I love seeing how Jesus used water, bread, poor widows, fish, birds, money, boats, naked women caught in adultery and just about anything else to teach His disciples to live life out of the boat. A while back, I discovered lesson about the Overboard life from my back yard and a little skirmish I had with some Blackberry bushes. I wrote this a while ago and now seemed like a good time to share it with you.

[zoom in on author’s forehead as he enters trancelike state...he turns to the window and stares at a pile of cut-up and stomped-on brush...he clutches a bandaged finger...]

I spent the better part of two hours one morning last week, digging up some black berry bushes that have crossed over a barrier of which we had made a verbal agreement. I promised not to cut them down or poison them and they promised not to come past the fence line. Well wouldn’t you know it? apparently black berry bushes aren’t very good at keeping their word! During the fall and early spring, they moved into the SW corner of our yard so the battle was on.

After two hours of cutting away and digging, I learned some very important lessons about removing black berry bushes.  #1, don’t try to cut or dig them out while wearing shorts. #2, don’t forget to wear THICK gloves. #3, along with #2, don’t grab the roots bare handed, they have nasty little hook shaped thorns down there, too. #4, when you forget rules #2 and #3, your kids will think it’s hilarious when you place your hand between your knees, start jumping up and down while screaming something about black berry bushes, the devil and the fires of hell. #5, chasing your kids with the pruners after said incident is not advisable when your neighbor is a police officer. It was a very educational morning.

I also, interestingly enough, learned something about how to remove black berry bushes (bbbs). In this corner where the bbbs had taken over, the plants probably covered close to 100 square feet of land (a little 10’x 10’ area on the back 40). Although this is a lot of space, there were only 10-12 actual bbb stalks to be found. The plants grow horizontally as much as they grow vertically. In fact, one of the stalks had popped up on my neighbors side of the fence so I hopped over in order to remove the offending beast. This is when I found the deepest, darkest secret of all.

All 10-12 stalks where attached to the same “runner” root. About a 1/2” below the surface of the ground, this little demon root snaked it’s way all over the place and every one of the 10-12 stalks was some how connected to this evil creature. As I uprooted part of the stalk from my neighbors yard, I pulled up a portion of the beast and saw it went to a little 3-4 stalk out cropping on my side of the fence. I pulled it up there only to find that it zigged and zagged itself to another 4-5 stalk out cropping and then finally to the last 3-4 stalk outcropping. Of course, it originated from the other side of our previously agreed upon boundary, so this demon root was cut down and poisoned (it was the only humane way to deal with him). That was one week ago.

Today, I go back out there and found out the demon root had spawned a few lesser demons who were venturing even further from the

mason-dixon line. They too have been exterminated (in my best Arnold Schwartzeneggar voice)

Sneaky devils.

As I sipped an ice cold coca cola (the preferred drink of bbb killers everywhere!) after a couple more hours of smiting creepy crawlers, I reflected on something rather fitting. Those stinkin’ bbbs are a lot like sin that we leave unconfessed in our lives. You know, those “little” sins that we just ignore or pretend that some how God doesn’t see or won’t care about, those ones that we like to put into our closet and leave for a later time? The problem is, like the pesky bbbs in my yard, those sins don’t stay hidden, they don’t remain in the closet and we certainly can’t control them. Soon, a sin that only pops up once-in-a-while, takes root underground and before we know it, our heart is covered and being choked out.

Getting rid of sin isn’t an easy task, either, but like my bbbs, we have to do it at the root. We have to go after the sin, digging it out with the diligence that only comes from intimacy with God, poisoning it with the power of the Word and then persist in keeping a watchful eye so that it’s evil cousins don’t try to take back soil we’ve cleared. And like my bbbs, we must be wary of seasons in which the sin hibernates as it strengthens it’s roots and spreads itself in subtlety.

Some of my favorite words of Scripture are found in Psalm 119:9-11. Those familiar words of David have helped me fight sin on more than one occasion: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek you with all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” David knew about subtle sins that take root and then take over.  When he strolled across the rooftops of his palace in 2 Samuel 12, he knew he’d see some “sites”. That habit became a demon root that eventually led David to adultery, murder, cover up and horrible deceit. If the man after God’s own heart can lose ground, I better make sure I’m taking a double shot of God’s Word in my life and applying it’s truth to every root of sin that crops up.

Victory over sin is a lot like victory over bbbs. You’ve got to attack it aggressively and dig it out by the roots. Along the way, you’re going to get stung and you might even bleed. But after a little dance and a chasing of the kids around the back of the house, the yard looks a lot better and it’s a clean look that goes well below the surface.

Indeed.

[return to author...he returns his glance to the paper before him...he smiles]

God is calling all of us out of the boat and out to the water where Jesus is building His Kingdom. He even uses devilishly annoying blackberry bushes to make His call heard. How has God taught you about the Overboard life using the world around you? If you feel brave enough, share your thoughts with us in the comments -- I’d love to hear your insights!

Go ahead, take the plunge -- life is better on the water!

Newtown on my heart

Not many hours have gone by in the last five days, where my wife and I haven’t thought about and talked about the events that transpired in Newtown Connecticut last Friday.  

There are few words to offer when I really reflect on this tragedy. The murderous act is heinous, and delves into the deepest pit of humanity’s ugliness. The outpouring of a nation’s love is enormous and shows a small, but strong, gleaming hope for those in the darkness of suffering. But that hope seems like a small token in light of the heavy loss of such precious lives. What are we to do?

While the social and political debates will rage on about guns, mental illness and government intervention I have spent some time searching my own heart and mind for lessons. Why it takes events like this to shake me up I will never fully understand, but in light of this tragedy, here are four take-a-ways for Overboard Living.

1. Life is a gift from God -- use it because you will lose it. The sickness that permeates this world isn’t mental illness or gun abuse (and both of those are tragedies in their own rights). The sickness that runs in this world is caused by sin -- humanity’s desire to live apart from God’s design. As a result, all of us will come face to face with our own mortality; death is inevitable. When tragedy strikes such young lives, we ache at the life that wasn’t allowed to be lived out. This horrific event is a reminder that we only have one life to live before we meet our Creator and Maker. There are no guarantees of longevity or safety, only the reality that your life on earth will come to an end. Are you living in a way that maximizes your time?
2. The world needs people to step in the gap. While the president’s visit was touching and hope-giving in the moment, I promise you that the people of Newtown will most remember those who came when the pain began. They will remember the first responders who walked through the crime scene, and wept over the life-less bodies of little children and honorable men and women, while performing their duties as employees of the city. They will remember the pastors who came to pray, the neighbors who brought food, the friends who sat in silence and shed tears along with them. They will remember the people who delivered much needed groceries, who helped pick up and drop off the other kids, and they will remember the ones who just came and held hands, saying nothing. There is a lot of hurt and brokenness in this world, and people need others to stand in the gap when tragedy strikes.
3. Character develops day by day, but emerges in key moments. The stories of teachers who hid their kids, died protecting their students and who tried to stop their assailant are amazing. They are reminders that our character develops day by day, with each decision we make, and with each choice. There are no shortcuts to having strong character -- it builds every time we make the right choice in the small stuff. If you want to be the right person in the right place at the right time, you must develop that character today. Character will not be created in the moment of need, it will simply be revealed that it already resided in you.
4. A broken world needs a Savior: The brokenness of our world will not be healed by lawmakers, Presidents or strong communities. The only healing that can come will begin when people hand their hearts over to God and allow Him to change them from the inside out. Are you telling others about Jesus? Is the message of hope being shared from your lips?

I will continue to pray for the families, school and community in Newtown. I’m sure I will continue to be sickened by the pain of loss those families have experienced. I can’t imagine how much ache I’d feel if my seven year old Celina was the body being covered on national TV. But as I move forward, as we move forward as a nation, I hope we will reflect on the frailty of life, the need for people to stand in the gap and show their true character, and for a broken world to turn to a healing Savior.

The Overboard Life demands an eternal perspective, one that often miss in the day-to-day grind of making ends meet, and hustling for deadlines. I know life is better on the water, but taking the plunge is rarely easy.

May God’s peace come to Newtown. May we all embrace His perspective each and every day.

Evil blackberry bushes

It’s amazing how often illustrations for living the Overboard life are found in the most unexpected and unusual places. When I read the Bible, I love seeing how Jesus used water, bread, poor widows, fish, birds, money, boats, naked women caught in adultery and just about anything else to teach His disciples to live life out of the boat. A while back, I discovered lesson about the Overboard life from my back yard and a little skirmish I had with some Blackberry bushes. I wrote this a while ago and now seemed like a good time to share it with you.

[zoom in on author’s forehead as he enters trancelike state...he turns to the window and stares at a pile of cut-up and stomped-on brush...he clutches a bandaged finger...]

I spent the better part of two hours one morning last week, digging up some black berry bushes that have crossed over a barrier of which we had made a verbal agreement. I promised not to cut them down or poison them and they promised not to come past the fence line. Well wouldn’t you know it? apparently black berry bushes aren’t very good at keeping their word! During the fall and early spring, they moved into the SW corner of our yard so the battle was on.

After two hours of cutting away and digging, I learned some very important lessons about removing black berry bushes.  #1, don’t try to cut or dig them out while wearing shorts. #2, don’t forget to wear THICK gloves. #3, along with #2, don’t grab the roots bare handed, they have nasty little hook shaped thorns down there, too. #4, when you forget rules #2 and #3, your kids will think it’s hilarious when you place your hand between your knees, start jumping up and down while screaming something about black berry bushes, the devil and the fires of hell. #5, chasing your kids with the pruners after said incident is not advisable when your neighbor is a police officer. It was a very educational morning.

I also, interestingly enough, learned something about how to remove black berry bushes (bbbs). In this corner where the bbbs had taken over, the plants probably covered close to 100 square feet of land (a little 10’x 10’ area on the back 40). Although this is a lot of space, there were only 10-12 actual bbb stalks to be found. The plants grow horizontally as much as they grow vertically. In fact, one of the stalks had popped up on my neighbors side of the fence so I hopped over in order to remove the offending beast. This is when I found the deepest, darkest secret of all.

All 10-12 stalks where attached to the same “runner” root. About a 1/2” below the surface of the ground, this little demon root snaked it’s way all over the place and every one of the 10-12 stalks was some how connected to this evil creature. As I uprooted part of the stalk from my neighbors yard, I pulled up a portion of the beast and saw it went to a little 3-4 stalk out cropping on my side of the fence. I pulled it up there only to find that it zigged and zagged itself to another 4-5 stalk out cropping and then finally to the last 3-4 stalk outcropping. Of course, it originated from the other side of our previously agreed upon boundary, so this demon root was cut down and poisoned (it was the only humane way to deal with him). That was one week ago.

Today, I go back out there and found out the demon root had spawned a few lesser demons who were venturing even further from the

mason-dixon line. They too have been exterminated (in my best Arnold Schwartzeneggar voice)

Sneaky devils.

As I sipped an ice cold coca cola (the preferred drink of bbb killers everywhere!) after a couple more hours of smiting creepy crawlers, I reflected on something rather fitting. Those stinkin’ bbbs are a lot like sin that we leave unconfessed in our lives. You know, those “little” sins that we just ignore or pretend that some how God doesn’t see or won’t care about, those ones that we like to put into our closet and leave for a later time? The problem is, like the pesky bbbs in my yard, those sins don’t stay hidden, they don’t remain in the closet and we certainly can’t control them. Soon, a sin that only pops up once-in-a-while, takes root underground and before we know it, our heart is covered and being choked out.

Getting rid of sin isn’t an easy task, either, but like my bbbs, we have to do it at the root. We have to go after the sin, digging it out with the diligence that only comes from intimacy with God, poisoning it with the power of the Word and then persist in keeping a watchful eye so that it’s evil cousins don’t try to take back soil we’ve cleared. And like my bbbs, we must be wary of seasons in which the sin hibernates as it strengthens it’s roots and spreads itself in subtlety.

Some of my favorite words of Scripture are found in Psalm 119:9-11. Those familiar words of David have helped me fight sin on more than one occasion: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek you with all my heart, do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” David knew about subtle sins that take root and then take over.  When he strolled across the rooftops of his palace in 2 Samuel 12, he knew he’d see some “sites”. That habit became a demon root that eventually led David to adultery, murder, cover up and horrible deceit. If the man after God’s own heart can lose ground, I better make sure I’m taking a double shot of God’s Word in my life and applying it’s truth to every root of sin that crops up.

Victory over sin is a lot like victory over bbbs. You’ve got to attack it aggressively and dig it out by the roots. Along the way, you’re going to get stung and you might even bleed. But after a little dance and a chasing of the kids around the back of the house, the yard looks a lot better and it’s a clean look that goes well below the surface.

Indeed.

[return to author...he directs his glance to the paper before him...still clutching his bandaged finger...he smiles]

God is calling all of us out of the boat and out to the water where Jesus is building His Kingdom. He even uses devilishly annoying blackberry bushes to make His call heard. How has God taught you about the Overboard life using the world around you? If you feel brave enough, share your thoughts with us in the comments -- I’d love to hear your insights!

Go ahead, take the plunge -- life is better on the water!