lbs: Stop, Look and Listen

Stop Look and LIsten

Watching our step

Stop, Look and Listen is a phrase used to teach children about safety when crossing a street. They are to stop, look for cars, and listen for cars that may be coming, but are not yet visible. Stop, look and listen is not just for traffic safety. The Bible gives us the same advice to protect our spiritual, emotional and physical lives as well.

If you went to Sunday school as a child, you may have sung a song that said, “be careful little feet where you go, for the Father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little feet where you go.” Even though this is a children’s song Solomon, one of the wisest men who has ever lived, said the same thing. (Prov. 4:26-27). Carefully consider the steps you take so you can be stable and successful in life, most of the sin that troubles so many could be completely avoided just by remembering that little song.

The word of God tells us over and over again, and our experience substantiates that sin always brings sorrow and the devastation of a certain part of our lives. Have you ever heard the phrase, “falling into sin”? The truth is, we never fall into sin, we deliberately walk right into it because we don’t heed the holy Ghosts telling us to ponder the path we are taking. There are areas in our lives in which we think we are in control. We think there will be no problem walking there, or into that place or past this. Then we end up succumbing to a temptation and reaping the problems and sadness that go along with it. If we only watch our step we could avoid being sucked into sin and all that goes along with it.

Think about what our world history books would look like if Eve considered the path of her feet and not been hanging out by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If she had pondered the pathway of her feet and looked where she was going, she wouldn’t have been in the location where she yielded to temptation; 

The Old Testament gives us an example after example of the Jews not pondering the path of their feet. Once, they were concerned about the assyrians destroying them, so they asked the Egyptians for help instead of asking God. Here is part of God’s response. (Is 30:15-16). God said, “if you would stop, and look to me to be your confidence and rest then you will find strength and salvation.” (Is 30;21). He goes on to say, “Listen, and you will hear the Holy Ghost telling you which way to go, which path leads to life.” 

How can we apply Stop, Look and Listen to our daily lives? First, stop what you are doing, don’t go to places where you know temptation is. Don’t hang around the crowd that is going to bring you down. Don’t make that hasty decision. Consider how your action will affect you and others, ponder the end result, contemplate the eternal consequence. Stop and remove your foot from evil. (Ps 119:101). 

Second, Look up to the Lord. (Ps 4:4 ; 46:10). By being still is the only way we can take the time to look to Jesus and sense that He is with us. Remember God Promised to be with us always to the end of the world, we need to cultivate the ability to remind ourselves of that anytime we find ourselves at a crossroad. 

Third, Listen to the Holy Ghost within. Listen to the Word of God. (John 14:26). What you will hear is the recollection of a sermon you heard or a verse you read, or memorized, or even your conscience telling you, “Don’t go there, go here instead, this is the unselfish road that you won’t regret.”As a final point, let’s consider the feet of Jesus. (Is 52:7). His feet went to Samaria, where no Jew wanted to go to bring goodness, salvation and a better way of life to a woman who had made a mess of her life by walking into five marriages and then shacking up with a sixth man. His feet walked on tumultuous waters to show us that He is in control of all the situations in our lives finally, if you’ve made a mess of your life by not pondering the path of your feet, by thinking you could handle it, remember His feet walked up that hill and were nailed to a cross and bled  to bring to you and me the good news that we too can have peace and salvation.

Where will you be going this week? Which direction will you be taking at work, church, home, in recreation, entertainment, schedule prioritizing purchases or anything you do? If you would refrain from taking a step in any direction before stopping to ponder the path of your feet, Looking to God in simple prayer, and listening to what He brings to your remembrance or to the word He sends to you, you would find true rest without regrets. (Jer 6:16a).

Questions: 

1. What things do people do when not pondering the path of their feet?
2. God promises to be with us and guide us, so why do people still choose not to consult God first? And what are the results of this? 
3. Give an example of the results you had when you were willing to stop, look and listen?
4. Are you allowing your feet to take you to places you have no business being? Are you living with the results of not pondering the path of you