Text- Proverbs 26:11- “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.”
Remember the story I told you yesterday, of how I fell into a ditch because I didn’t pay attention to divine caution in 2006. A similar incident occurred again 8 years later – In December 2014 (8 years later!); just few days to the end of the year.
That fateful day, it was past 10pm in the night and everywhere stark dark just like it was in 2006. This time however, I was walking alone and I was walking so fast because it was already late in the night.
Suddenly, as I approached the place I was going to, I saw like a flash, a reminiscence of what happened to me 8 years prior! It was such a quick flashback; like a memory recall of a funny moment and experience.
But then, I remembered the mistake I made in 2006, and I immediately knew that this was more than just a flashback... Once beaten, twice shy, isn't it?
I stopped immediately, flipped my phone open, and switched on the flashlight. Guess what I saw – Right in front of me was a dilapidated soak away pit.
To put in proper context, the soak away pit was only partially covered with two decayed wooden planks. If I had taken one more step, I would have drowned in that soak away pit. One more step would have meant death!
What I want you to see from this story is this: Sometimes, God uses certain experiences to prepare us for a future occurrence; He uses casual moments to prepare us for critical moments.
The first time in 2006, it was just a ditch; eight years later, it was a pit filled with feces. You see, God sometimes allows us to make certain mistakes when they are not costly, so that we would have learnt our lessons in preparation for the day that the same mistake would be very costly.
The first time, I was with two friends; eight years later, I was alone. If I had fallen into that pit; there will be no one to rescue me. You see, God will allow you to make certain mistakes when there are people there to bail you out, so that you would have learnt the lesson, and won't make the same mistake when there will be no one to help you, and you are left with only two options: Either you get it right, or get thrown out!
I have come to realize that God always comes to us before the devil does; He comes to supply us with the necessary experience, wisdom, understanding and ability that we would need to wade through temptations, trials, troubles and tribulations. It's however our duty to make sure that we learn our lessons well.
It’s OK to make mistakes, but to keep repeating the same mistake eschews wisdom. Our text says it all – As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness. What if I repeated my foolishness? I would have been dead and forgotten by now!
Let me conclude with this very insightful quote by Sam Levenson: “You must learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t possibly live long enough to make them all yourself.” Think on this.
PRAYER
Lord, please help me to be wise, and to correctly weigh each of my experiences so that I can daily increase in learning. Please teach me to know wisdom and instruction; and to perceive the words of understanding in Jesus’ Name.
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