Dangerous Curves Ahead

Rev. Jeff Wood, First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian

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Rev Jeff Wood

 

 

  • North Yungas Road, Bolivia is considered one of, if not the most, dangerous road in the world.  One web site that studies it estimates that one hundred plus people die on it each year.  If you were travelling it, you’d want to know about the sharp curves, wouldn’t you?  You’d want to know when to break.  Where you’d build guard rails if you could. 

     All of us travel the road of life and there are, on that road, typical sharp and dangerous curves.  Not knowing about them, slowing for them, putting up guard rails related to them is perilous.  Over thousands of years, spiritual directors have identified seven to be alert to  Some call them the seven seductive mistresses for the ordinary soul in the ordinary living of life.  Most of the time they are known as the seven deadly sins.  

    One of the seven gets called the green eyed monster.  That’s envy.  Cousins to envy – coveting, being jealous.  Coveting is wanting what someone else has.  I want your car.  Jealous is wanting you to stay far away from what I have.  Keep your eyes off my husband.  Envy is wanting what you have rather than you and for you to be miserable. 

    A genie wanted to help a old man stuck in envy.  She offered him any wish but made it on the condition that his rival would get the same doubled.  Ask for $1000 and you get it.  He gets, however, $2000.  So the old man asked to be blinded in one eye.  The green-eyed monster is a one-eyed monster apparently. 

    Let’s all learn, with God’s help, how to avoid the dangerous curve of envy.  Let’s all learn, with God’s help, how to be content  — having what we want and wanting what we have. 

    Pastor Jeff Wood, First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian, 1405 Louisiana Ave, 32958

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