He Pays Too Much For His Whistle

 

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 

When Benjamin Franklin was seven years old, a visitor gave him some small change. Later, seeing another boy playing with a whistle, Benjamin gave the boy all his money for it. He played the whistle all over the house, enjoying it until he discovered that he had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. Instantly, the whistle lost its charm. When he grew up this idea took on a different meaning. When he saw a man neglecting his family for popularity, or a greedy rich man giving up friendship for the sake of making more money, he would say, “He pays too much for his whistle.”

The above story has an excellent lesson in it: Too often we pay far too great a price for something that looks good. Fish are hooked because they are attracted to something that looks like food only to become food themselves. Do not be fooled, the world offers you many whistles that are not worth the price.

If someone had warned Samson during his teen years that a beautiful woman named Delilah would someday entice him, then betray him and finally derail God’s best plans for him, I wonder if he would have made the same choices that he made. He made a lot of bad choices that eventually cost him his life. We can learn from his sad story.

Samson had everything he needed to be the greatest leader in Israel’s history. He could have been greater than David or Solomon. He had charm, strength and popularity. He had it all. Samson’s story is the tragic tale of a wasted life that mirrors many Christian’s lives today. When we begin to focus on the things the world has to offer like money, fame, popularity and pleasure; we take our eyes off of Christ and it’s all downhill from that point.

We all make mistakes that we wish we could go back and change, but until someone builds a time machine, we’re stuck with the consequences. But, we don’t have to be stuck with the guilt that comes with our mistakes. By simply turning to Jesus and asking for his mercy and forgiveness, we can be assured freedom from the guilt that weighs so heavy on us. 

Forgiveness and freedom from guilt and sin is available right now if you just ask…