Black Fly Bites

May in Lake Echo holds two promises: warmer days and BLACK FLIES!  While we were out working in the yard this weekend, one of the little critters made a meal out of my ankle. 

For those of you who are not associated with black flies, they are not very big.  They make no noise and unless they are in a swarm (which is an amazing sight to behold) you never even see them.  You might call them stealth bugs.

So, this tiny little thing took a bite out of my ankle.  Now, my ankle is twice its normal size and doesn’t bend very well.  It’s not weight bearing.  The result of this one little nasty thing is ugly and painful; resulting in an inability to function properly.

How like sin was this little black fly’s entrance into my life.  Often, I don’t even see the sin that is before me.  It is so easy to start down a path not knowing/or not seeing what lies ahead.

In Ephesians, there is a passage that is dealing specifically with anger but there is a piece of advice there that is applicable to all areas of our lives.

Ephesians 4:27
and do not give the devil a foothold.

Dabbling in or even allowing things into our lives that could lead us away from the Lord are dangerous.  We may not see the potential for harm but after being bitten, the consequences can be devastating.

Ephesians 5:11-13

¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.

Philippians 4:8 (Amplified Bible)

For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them].