Roaring Lion

The Army used to use the term "imminent danger" to describe any situation where something bad could be lurking around the next corner. Sometimes you could see the bad thing; sometimes you just knew it was out there somewhere.

The few times in my military career I found myself in imminent danger taught me some things. For one thing, unless you have to, you don't go looking for it. In fact, you avoid it if you can, and hope it doesn't find you.

Second, when you're aware there's something nearby that can and likely wants to hurt you, you start being really careful. You pay attention. You move cautiously. You look at everything. You get your business done as quickly as you can and then skedaddle back to safety.

I wonder, then, why I can be so casual about sin? After all, Peter tells us. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." (1 Peter 5:8-9). If that doesn't sound like imminent danger, I don't know what does.

Self-controlled and alert is a good description of an infantry squad on patrol in Helmund Province, or a team of firefighters entering a burning building, or police responding to a domestic disturbance call. Those folks are ready; they've practiced what to do if things go bad, they have drills memorized that allow for instantaneous reaction, and they're watching.

And that's how I should be, each day but especially when I approach those tempting danger spots. The devil wants to eat my soul, and I need to be ready to resist and stand firm should I encounter him. I should memorize the scriptures I'm going to use, and think through in advance how I'll defend myself. And, if the moment comes, I should act immediately, in that first second, without thinking or hesitating.

Imminent danger has a certain feel; you kind of know when you're heading someplace that isn't good. I think the same thing is true of sin; we can tell when we're getting close. We can sense when a few more mouse clicks or one more flirtateous comment or one more drink is going to invite badness. When we feel that, we need to turn around and run, just like we would if we heard a lion roaring.

Because the best defense is to guard against getting into a defensive situation at all.