In 1985, Jerome Moody
drowned at pool party hosted by the New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD). As
tragic as the story was, it would have probably been forgotten if not for the unusual
circumstance surrounding his death. No
one had seen him swimming and he was found fully dressed. It was never known how he got in the water or
when he drowned since his body was not discovered until lifeguards began
cleaning out the pool at the close of the party and by then it was too late. But what made this story even more peculiar
was the party itself. It had been thrown
for the workers of NORD, which included over 100 lifeguards! The reason for the
celebration; it had been the first summer without a drowning at a New Orleans
city pool. A pool full of life guards
that had earned a reputation for good performance had all missed this obviously
drowning man.
What happened in
this tragedy is similar to what can happen to the faithful in regard to their
spiritual lives. Things are good; we can
relax, leave our work behind us, and take it easy. Nothing much to worry about,
someone else is watching. However, it’s when we put our guard down and think
we have nothing to worry about, is when Satan is most likely to strike. In 1 Thessalonians 5:3-6 we read,
“While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction
will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they
will not escape. But you, brethren, are not
in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of
day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”
We need to be
vigilant, keep our eyes open and stay watchful. Satan is like a thief, attacking
us when we don’t expect it, looking for the time when we feel most at ease to
try and make us stumble. Most folks
think that Satan is working most when we are away from God, but that’s not
true. That is when he has us. He doesn't need to focus on us then. It’s when we
are close to God that he is most active (1st Corinthians 11:14). Don’t think that since you are in a right
place, you don’t have to keep alert. As 1st
Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take
heed that he does not fall.”
Don’t think allow your past success to make
you think that you immune to danger. Unless we stay alert, Satan can use our
moments of divided attention to destroy everything we have done. Faithfulness requires diligence. As Warren Buffet said, It
takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think
about that, you’ll do things differently.”
That is why we
must constantly be examining ourselves to make sure we have not been lulled
into a false sense of security. As John
tells us in 1st John 1:8-9 “If we say that we have no sin, we are
deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. It’s when we think we have nothing to worry about, that sin might
just have taken us over. Being diligent means examining ourselves as much as we
do others. Are we walking in the light? Are we being blind to the danger right in
front of us? Are we on alert so no one
around us can be lost without our notice?
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