Like a city that is broken down and without walls [leaving it unprotected] Is a man who has no self-control over his spirit [and sets himself up for trouble]
Proverbs 25:28 AMP
Sometime in 2023, we were preparing for a fun family weekend. While my wife was taking a bath, she asked me to change our second son’s diaper (he was about four months old at the time). I reluctantly did so, as I had just recently changed his diaper and argued that it shouldn’t be necessary again. However, when I removed the diaper, I was surprised to find it was dry. Wanting to show my wife I was right, I took the diaper to her in the bathroom. By the time I returned, the baby had wet the entire bed.
Just then, my wife walked in and saw the scene. We both ended up laughing about it. It was a funny reminder of how unpredictable children can be, teaching us to have fewer expectations.
Meanwhile, our five-year-old son had been punished two days earlier for accidentally wetting himself while sleeping in the afternoon. While we found the baby’s incident funny, the older son’s was not. The key difference was their developmental stages and the expectations that come with them.
One of the most dangerous things for a believer is to assume God’s constant tolerance. In fact, as we mature, God may show us His displeasure even in seemingly small ways, where others might get away with it. This is because God expects us to grow, demonstrating a level of decorum and self-control that forms the foundation of trust – the bedrock of responsibility.
As Solomon said, “Whoever lacks self-control is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Such individuals become liabilities, requiring constant supervision like children who might put anything in their mouths or make messes. Regardless of how long they’ve been in the faith, they cannot be fully trusted until they cultivate self-control.
If you truly desire to deepen your Christian walk with God, you need to trust Him to develop the fruit of self-control within you. Move from the category of individuals who are tolerated to one who can be entrusted with the lives of the vulnerable.
Dear Lord, thank you for giving me the spirit of self-control, please help me to exercise it and move from being the christian you just tolerate to the one you can trust.
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