Nancy Hughes: Burned beyond belief

“Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals
without his feet being scorched?”
Proverbs 6:27 (NIV)

I will never forget my first Girl Scout overnight camping experience. We all took sleeping bags as well as cooking utensils, toothbrushes and extra clothes. There was a lot to see and explore but the best part was the evening campfire . . . and roasting marshmallows.

There were 30 of us campers so each girl was given only one marshmallow. It was up to us how we wanted to roast it. Some ate it “raw” without warming it at all. Some liked just a slight brown “tan” with a bit of crisp to it. But not me.

I liked mine burned on the outside and my method was simple. I would hold the roasting stick down in the flames until the marshmallow caught fire and then quickly blow it out. Best flavor in the world!

We took turns gathering around the campfire and I could hardly wait to hold my stick in the flames and watch as the marshmallow burned. But as I raised it up to blow out the flames, I realized that I had let it “cook” too long in the fire so that it was barely clinging to the stick!

And then the unthinkable happened: my marshmallow began to fall. One marshmallow! That’s all we were given: ONE! To me there was only ONE thing to do: just as it slid off the stick, I grabbed it with my hand, flames and all.

Just as quickly I realized my mistake and dropped the gooey blob but the damage was done. I had major burns on the palm and fingers of my right hand.

Look at today’s Scripture in Proverbs. Solomon warns that there is no way a man can put fire in his lap or walk on coals without being burned. What in the world is he talking about? Solomon is asking questions with obvious answers.

What do you have in your life that you are holding on to, even though you know that you are going to get “burned” by it eventually? Let’s see. What about an inappropriate relationship or a questionable business deal? Maybe it’s anger and resentment toward someone or a habit of gossiping.

It is impossible to engage in sin without escaping and suffering the consequences. Impossible.

All I could think of at the campfire was a marshmallow. I never stopped to think of the damage that would most certainly follow as I caught it – burning – in my hand.

Please look closely at your life. Holding on to sin can only result in being burned beyond belief.

Father, I choose today to give you those sins in my life that are only going to “burn” me or those I love. Thank you for your forgiveness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Can you name something in your life that you are holding on to, even though you know it is against God’s will for you?

What is keeping you from letting go of it and giving it to the Lord?

Application

Ask the Lord to show you sins in your life that you are holding on to that are against His teachings in the Word.

Beside each entry, list the people you love who could be “burned” by those sins. Confess each sin to the Lord, repent and lay them at His feet.

Power Verses

Proverbs 6:27 (NIV) “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?”

Luke 9:24 (NIV) “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”

I John 2:15 (NIV) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing and information about her books, check out her blog Encouragement from the War Room.)