Thursday, May 20, 2010

Don't Be Led Astray

"As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been." -- 1 Kings 11:4

Solomon had everything going for him. He was king. He was rich and famous. He was wise. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Okay. So maybe he wasn't totally wise. At least not when he was in "love."

God got mad. Who could blame Him? He'd done everything for Solomon, yet Solomon allowed himself to be led astray -- and away from God -- by his wives. But isn't that true of all of us at one time or another? We allow our peers to influence us in ways that are not God's ways. We do things we shouldn't do, say things we shouldn't say, skirt around things we know aren't right.

I think it's important to be friends with people who aren't Christians, including those who claim christianity but live otherwise. We are called to live in this world but be apart from it. We should set an example of how Jesus would do things and not allow ourselves to be lulled away by Satan. It's hard. We all fall down now and again.

That's when we need to have plenty of Christian friends there to influence us and help us. It's when we need to make extra effort to worship God and attend small group Bible studies. To get down on our knees and pray. To read our Bibles and study His Word.

Don't be like Solomon. Don't let people who worship other gods -- like money, popularity and power -- lead you astray. It's not worth it. Letting God down is not worth anything we might gain on this earth.