Heartbreaking Hindsight
Proverbs 7:21-23 (NIV)
With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
Proverbs 26:11 (NIV)
As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
Reflection
Comedian Nate Bargatze had it just about right when he said: “I had 80s and 90s Christian parents — well, that's the most Christian you can ever get of the Christian. I think Jesus had more fun than I did. I wasn’t allowed to watch anything. I mean, when they made ‘The Simpsons’ it was like, I guess they're just showing R-rated TV shows now.”
With all of its pros and cons — and there were many pros — this is similar to how I grew up. We wore our Sunday best to churches full of good, well-intentioned people practicing a form of pious Christianity with societal standards hard for many outsiders to maintain. As I grew older and started to read and research the Bible on my own, I was shocked about how gritty and raw the actual contents of the Bible were compared to the whitewashed, Sunday-school flannelgraph impression I had grown up with — especially the Old Testament, which was far more graphic than The Simpsons. The unsettling reference to a dog following impulses described in Proverbs 26:11 offers stark contrast to my youthful understanding of the Bible.
While being very different in many ways, both the Christian culture of my youth and these verses in Proverbs (along with many others) have served as sound guides in helping me to make good life decisions, based on scripture- and culture-based boundaries. Growing up, it was very clear to me where good clean fun ended, and bad life-altering decisions began. I knew better; and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Too often, though, fleeting feelings, urges, and impulses trump “knowing better.” They lead people to make decisions clearly to the detriment of themselves and others around them, sometimes for generations. Clarity only comes once the devastating consequences of these bad decisions become apparent, when their heartbreaking hindsight is realized. It is even more heartbreaking when this clarity of hindsight disappears and the cycle of bad decisions continues with the next fleeting feeling, urge, or impulse. With some smooth talk and persuasive words, the fool’s folly plays out again. One bad decision can cost dearly in this lifetime, but fools repeating their folly stand to lose eternity.
Action Steps
We all make many decisions each day. Some of those decisions have significant positive or negative consequences. Prepare for those decisions ahead of time by building and immersing yourself in a culture focused on loving the Lord, studying scripture, and living life in a way that allows you to be in tune with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Go to church. Pray often. Surround yourself with fellow Christians. That way, when those decisions arise, you will “know better.” Assess the situation, seek Christian council, and choose eternal wisdom over fleeting whims and feelings.
Prayer
Lord, give me a heart in love with You, and give Your wisdom to help me navigate the daily decisions of life in a way pleasing to You. Help guide my decisions to lead me on the path through life that You lovingly designed specifically for me. Give me the discernment to learn from my past failures and grow in my understanding of Your holy ways, Lord. Amen.
With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer stepping into a noose
till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.
Proverbs 26:11 (NIV)
As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
Reflection
Comedian Nate Bargatze had it just about right when he said: “I had 80s and 90s Christian parents — well, that's the most Christian you can ever get of the Christian. I think Jesus had more fun than I did. I wasn’t allowed to watch anything. I mean, when they made ‘The Simpsons’ it was like, I guess they're just showing R-rated TV shows now.”
With all of its pros and cons — and there were many pros — this is similar to how I grew up. We wore our Sunday best to churches full of good, well-intentioned people practicing a form of pious Christianity with societal standards hard for many outsiders to maintain. As I grew older and started to read and research the Bible on my own, I was shocked about how gritty and raw the actual contents of the Bible were compared to the whitewashed, Sunday-school flannelgraph impression I had grown up with — especially the Old Testament, which was far more graphic than The Simpsons. The unsettling reference to a dog following impulses described in Proverbs 26:11 offers stark contrast to my youthful understanding of the Bible.
While being very different in many ways, both the Christian culture of my youth and these verses in Proverbs (along with many others) have served as sound guides in helping me to make good life decisions, based on scripture- and culture-based boundaries. Growing up, it was very clear to me where good clean fun ended, and bad life-altering decisions began. I knew better; and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Too often, though, fleeting feelings, urges, and impulses trump “knowing better.” They lead people to make decisions clearly to the detriment of themselves and others around them, sometimes for generations. Clarity only comes once the devastating consequences of these bad decisions become apparent, when their heartbreaking hindsight is realized. It is even more heartbreaking when this clarity of hindsight disappears and the cycle of bad decisions continues with the next fleeting feeling, urge, or impulse. With some smooth talk and persuasive words, the fool’s folly plays out again. One bad decision can cost dearly in this lifetime, but fools repeating their folly stand to lose eternity.
Action Steps
We all make many decisions each day. Some of those decisions have significant positive or negative consequences. Prepare for those decisions ahead of time by building and immersing yourself in a culture focused on loving the Lord, studying scripture, and living life in a way that allows you to be in tune with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Go to church. Pray often. Surround yourself with fellow Christians. That way, when those decisions arise, you will “know better.” Assess the situation, seek Christian council, and choose eternal wisdom over fleeting whims and feelings.
Prayer
Lord, give me a heart in love with You, and give Your wisdom to help me navigate the daily decisions of life in a way pleasing to You. Help guide my decisions to lead me on the path through life that You lovingly designed specifically for me. Give me the discernment to learn from my past failures and grow in my understanding of Your holy ways, Lord. Amen.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Don’t Stop Short of JesusThe Cross Is God’s Invitation to YouRemembering the OwnerThe OwnerThe Illusion of Self-Made SuccessActs 26:12–23 | Paul’s Encounter with JesusActs 26: 1–11 | Agrippa Grants PermissionInvited From The OutsideSurrender Creates PeaceWhen Blessing Becomes ForgetfulnessWhat A Pastor Means When They Say... | The Branch Living as Stewards, Not OwnersCreated for RelationshipThe Heart Behind the GiftSurrender GainsThe StewardFaithful StewardsOne Percent BetterEverything Belongs to GodThe Evaluation Is ComingActs 26:24-32 | Agrippa Parries Paul's ChallengeRedefining Success | The Branch The EvaluationHow You View God Determines EverythingThe Economy of Kingdom InvestmentChoose Your Category WiselyAnchored in Steadfast LoveActs 27:1-3 | Paul Sails for RomeDiscerning Between Good And Evil | The BranchLoved Enough to Be DisciplinedThe Steadfast Love of GodReturning to God’s WayCrying Out from the DepthsLiving with Wise Awareness
February
Partnering with God’s MissionBuilding Kingdom FruitTHE GIVER | PASTOR ANTHONY LOMBARDIWorship Through SacrificeNavigating God's Calling Within MarriageTrusting God’s ProvisionActs 27: 13-20 | The Storm at Sea | TCBSActs 27: 4-12 | From Caesarea to Fair HavensFrom Self-Focus to Kingdom-FocusFrom Death to LifeThe Answer Is a PersonEmpowered for MissionActs 27:21–26 | TCBSTHE CHURCH | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONDesigned for CommunityAnger, Justice and Psalms of Judgment | The BranchHeaven Invading EarthBetter Together PURPOSED RELATIONSHIPS | PASTOR MATTHEW JOHNSONLifted When You FallWarmth in the ColdProtected by the Cord
2025
January
A New Heart and SpiritSowing in Tears, Reaping in JoyFrom the Pit to a New SongNo Other God's Before MeSeek First the KingdomStoring Treasures in HeavenServing One MasterTrusting God with EverythingThe Power of InfluenceRelationships That InfluenceFinding Godly FriendsIron Sharpens IronSpeaking Truth In LovePrioritizing God's PresenceChoosing the Better PortionLiving With Eternal PerspectiveCreating Margin For God's PurposesBearing Fruit Through AbidingReleasing the Past, Embracing God's FutureTransformed By God's LoveOur Past And A Hope For A FutureEmbracing Our New Identity In ChristRunning The Race Of Perseverance
February
Generosity Begins With PriorityThe Heart of GivingTithing as an Act of FaithThe Blessing of GenerosityTrusting God's FaithfulnessSeeing Yourself Through Jesus' EyesThe Power of Jesus' CallFrom Broken to BlessedEmpowered for PurposeHope for the FutureGod Knows Your NeedBringing Your Needs to JesusFaith in the Face of ImpossibilityJesus' Power Over Death and DiseaseTestimony of God's FaithfulnessCreated For A PurposeCompassion In ActionOvercoming Fear To Share HopeMeeting Needs To Show LoveAnswering the Call
March
No Comments