It's a stretch...

I don't know anyone who enjoys it, though we've all done it, and we've all had to clean up the mess at one time or another as a result of someone else being careless, inconsiderate, selfish, thoughtless, rude, or young and untaught. What is it? Encounters with improperly disposed of gum... and relationships!

Yesterday I was the unexpected recipient of an encounter with an improperly disposed of piece of gum, which found its way from a manufacturer to a store shelf, to a purchaser's mouth, where they gnawed on its sweetness for a while and spit it out somewhere between my car and my front door - before it was smashed into the grooves in the sole of my slipper. The sticky blue gum inconveniently stayed there until it was snatched from it's location by the fibrous fingers of my carpet - partially in one location and the remainder in another as I innocently walked through my house... and then I discovered it. "Really? Seriously? That did NOT just happen! Ugghh!"

Since I had company at the time, I made an initial halfhearted attempt to clean it up. It wasn't until this morning, when I could give it my full attention, that I chose the ice cube remedy. Gospel music was flowing from the speakers above me as I patiently waited for it to melt into the carpet and harden the gum. As I picked someone else's germ infested gum from my carpet it made me think about relationships. I know it's quite a "stretch" but I had recently seen two different situations that had given me spiritual thoughts to "chew" on!

Both involved social interactions that I observed with people I know and their friends. Through my observations it seemed that one person was on a healthy path with their life, while their friend or friends were not. It also occurred to me that staying friends could be detrimental to their path and purpose for their life. But ending a relationship goes from sticky to hard when that person is a best friend.

Should their relationships with their so-called "friends" continue I believe there could be lifelong and eternal consequences. Just like me not seeing the inconvenience that clung to the bottom of my slipper, people often fail to see the future effects of clinging to certain unhealthy relationships. Thankfully God offers us a true everlasting, eternal friendship through his Son....We just need to ask.

Proverbs 13:19-20 says, "A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil." Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."
 
Despite the annoying inconveniences of improper disposal, millions of people still chew gum - and have unhealthy friendships. But why? 

As I see it, its because they are focused on the cheap bitter sweet taste of immediate pleasure ... and they never seem to step in their own gum!


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