Dearly Beloved Children Be Very Careful

Dearly Beloved Children

Be Very Careful

Ephesians 5 says,

you can miss the opportunity

if you aren’t careful

and pay attention to details.

Reading Ephesians 5: 5

I realized I do not like the word “careful”

and there is a good chance you don’t like it either.

Back in the 70’s I worked a maintenance job;

we used to say if it could not be fixed

with a sludge hammer or cutting torch,

it couldn’t be fixed.

Although you should be careful

with a sludge hammer or cutting torch,

the statement didn’t imply being careful at all.

Careful…

marked by attentive concern and solicitude b : marked by wary caution or prudence <be very careful with knives> c : marked by painstaking effort to avoid errors or omissions —often used with of or an infinitive <careful of money><careful to adjust the machine>

synonyms careful, meticulous, scrupulous, punctilious mean showing close attention to detail. careful implies attentiveness and cautiousness in avoiding mistakes <a careful worker>. meticulous may imply either commendable extreme carefulness or a hampering finicky caution over small points <meticulous scholarship>. scrupulous applies to what is proper or fitting or ethical <scrupulous honesty>. punctilious implies minute, even excessive attention to fine points <punctilious observance of ritual>.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/careful

Being careful takes time - it takes focus.

Details matter when it comes to being careful.

Wise people are careful.

They realize missing a detail

could cause them to miss an opportunity.

Being careful means

there are things around you

 that can make life miserable

if you don’t watch out.

Like the time I was digging with my backhoe…

and ripped out the gas line….

or the time I ripped out the phone line…

or the couple of times I ripped out the cable line…

(Would you like me to do some backhoe work for you?)

There are a lot of opportunities in life

for the person who is careful.

And a lot of repair bills

for those who are not.

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 5:15-20 NIV

15 Be very careful, then,

how you live — not as unwise but as wise,

16 making the most of every opportunity,

because the days are evil.

17 Therefore do not be foolish,

but understand what the Lord's will is.

18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,

20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything,

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.