The Slippery Slope of Sin

“Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.”
—Psalm 73:18

Several years ago, my family and I were vacationing in Naples, Florida. We were playing tennis along a canal, when we hit the ball out into the water. After we finished the game and started our return to our rooms, I noticed our lost ball floating in the water at the end of the resort’s boat ramp. The ramp was chained off with a small sign that said, “Danger! Slippery Slope! Do Not Enter!” Of course, I felt that I was smarter than whoever put up the sign, because, after all, they did not possess my balancing ability. I stepped over the chain, and began edging my way down to retrieve our tennis ball. I edged one step, then two, and then, I started to slip, and in an effort to prevent myself from slipping, I tried to overcorrect myself, thus resulting in both of my legs flying out from under me! I came down right on my back, and scrapped up my back and feet pretty bad. I got up, bleeding and hurting, and made my way back up to my room much like a dog with its tail between its legs. I knew the warning, but I choose not to heed it and suffered the consequences for doing so.

There is a great spiritual parallel here that our passage for today addresses. The Psalmist is talking about the wicked, or all of those whom have decided to live their life for themselves apart from God. Their continual choice of pursuing their own desires over God’s results in God’s placing them on a slippery slope. No man can live his life apart from God and not suffer the consequence of that choice. If you are living your life apart from God, BE CAREFUL! God Himself is placing you on a slippery slope that is going to lead to pain and destruction! You may already be on that slippery slope of sin! You may be like me and think that you can handle it, but you can’t! No one can! You can turn a blind eye to God’s law just as I did to the warning sign, but know this: you will suffer the consequence of that choice! Turn back and repent! Know that following the Lord our God provides a straight path and is a refuge during our time of need! Turn to Him and He will make your steps sure and your paths straight! Amen.