John 10:10a English Standard Version (ESV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

We are familiar with the comic book character Superman who has been elevated to television and movie star status. What we know about this fictional character is that only Kryptonite can kill him.

This metaphor is very much like our life in Christ. His Kryptonite is from his former life and has to be avoided. Each of us has something from our former lives that is our own personal Kryptonite. It might not kill us literally, although some of them will. It will endanger our life with Christ and if we play with it long enough it could create a spiritual death.

Proverbs 4:14-16 English Standard Version

14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.

15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.

16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 English Standard Version

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

It is reckless to play with the Kryptonite of our past.

John 10:10b English Standard Version (ESV) I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Embrace Christ and the life we have now rather than the dangers from our past.

Proverbs 4:7-8 English Standard Version (ESV)

7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.

Ephesians 6:4 English Standard Version (ESV) Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

We are not all raised up by fathers and mothers who worship God. What we learn as children is what we see in the behaviors of our parents and older siblings.

Blessed be the children of God fearing parents.

That is not one of the Beatitudes but maybe it should be.

I discovered that the language of my father was not acceptable in school. I got taken to the cloakroom for a proper scolding. I did not find any correction for my foul mouth at home.

Thankfully there was a model of Christianity that lived down the street. I spent more time with that family than I did my own. They took me to church every Sunday and Baptist Youth Fellowship on Wednesdays. I wanted to be a part of that family so much I dated all three of their daughters.

This is the grace of God in the life of the wayward. He finds the faithful to model His abundant love. It was the love that attracted me to them and finally to the source, Christ in them.

When on leave from the Army I would visit them faithfully. They always made a point of praying with me. No visit happened without a hug and a prayer. Over the years I discovered that hundreds of children like myself called them Mom and Dad Williams. 

Children need consistency and stability and if they cannot find it at home they will seek it elsewhere. If not with a Christian family then perhaps with a street gang.

Consistency and stability are God traits. They are character traits of the faithful who have built a life in the Kingdom of God.

Consistency and stability can be modeled by users and abusers. A child that is not loved will seek that out wherever they can find it.

While I found that in the Army I did not find the love I had in Mom and Dad Williams.

Nothing is as attractive as the love of God.