Better Safe than Sorry
The prudent see danger and take refuge. Proverbs 22:3 (NIV)
Hard-headed, stubborn, who me? I could write pages sharing about the many times I ignored wise warnings. I went ahead and did things just because. I knew there would be consequences. Needless to say, I paid dearly for my bull-headed actions. Shirley Raye Redmond (All God’s Creatures) warns us: It’s better to be safe than sorry.
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When my third mystery novel was published, a book club in Albuquerque asked me to speak at their monthly meeting. I arrived at the designated location twenty minutes early, so I sat quietly in my car going over my notes. At one point, the scurrying of several small creatures in the empty field across the street caught my eye. Prairie dogs! Intrigued, I stepped out of my vehicle and meandered across the street for a closer look. One of the prairie dog sentries, keeping a watchful eye for hawks, snakes, and other predators, caught sight of me. He gave a sharp warning whistle. Suddenly, all the scurrying little creatures disappeared into their burrows.
I meant them no harm, but the little sentry didn’t know that. He’d done his duty, alerting his fellow prairie dogs to possible danger, and every one of them had heeded the warning. Better safe than sorry, I guess.
Maybe I should be more like the prairie dog, heeding the warnings around me. Besides labels on everything from medicine bottles to household cleaners, there are many scripture verses that provide warnings too. It would be to my advantage to pay attention to them.
Over and over again, the Lord warned the Hebrews not to worship idols—or there would be consequences. The Old Testament book of Proverbs is filled with cautionary words about everything from drunkenness to sexual immorality, lying, and fool-hearty pursuits. Jesus taught people not to build their house upon the sand (Matthew 7:26), and God Himself warned the visiting Magi in a dream not to return to Herod’s palace after they’d worshipped the Christ Child (Matthew 2:12). They wisely heeded the warning, returning to their own land by another route.
Have you ever had an occasion when God nudged you not to do something? I have, and I’m thankful I listened. Like the prairie dogs, I’m better safe than sorry.
Dear Lord, help me to be obedient to Your word and heed Your warnings. It truly is better to be safe than sorry. AMEN.