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| TANGLED |
| When I was walking in the woods one afternoon, I came upon a tree that was different from any I had ever seen. It was all tangled up in large vines. “There is a story in that little tree,” I thought to myself. Later I came back and snapped a picture of it. The future of that poor tree didn’t look too favorable. There are people just like this tree. They have all sorts of things wrapped around their lives, choking them. Sometimes they realize what is wrong, sometimes they don’t. It is so sad when someone tangled up says “I don’t have any problem”. Many times when I am talking to someone who has a smoking habit they will say, “ I wish I could quit these things“. The question then comes up- why don’t they just quit? There are those who have a drinking habit. These people also say, “ I wish that I could cut down some“. The same question comes again. Why, if they don’t like what is happening, don’t they quit? There are those on drugs and those caught up in porn; the list could go on and on, but that same question always arises. Just like the tree, they are bound, so tangled up that they can’t get loose. How did they get into these situations? There are many reasons; here are a few: 1. Other people do it so why shouldn't I. 2. They want to be accepted by their friends. 3. They want to look “cool” and be one of the “in” crowd. 4. It looks like a lot of fun. 5. It is a way to forget all of their problems. 6. It feels so good. 7. They only meant to try it once. 8. They were told it was good and wouldn’t hurt them. There are many more reasons. What are the results of being caught up in something bad? Here are a few: 1. Once bound (sometimes called “hooked“), it is hard to get free. 2. Since more and more of the substance is needed to feel the same effects, it takes more and more money to feed the habit. 3. When their habit takes more money than they have, they steal or take the money from some important need, like paying the bills. 4. Many times they lose a spouse. Friends and relatives leave them. 5. Many times they get so low that they take their own lives. 6. Because of their excesses, they lose their health. 7. They develop a low opinion of themselves. 8. They may hurt or kill someone. 9. The key word is “lose”, they always lose something. Bad habits cause much grief; the list could go on. What is the solution to the problem? The answer for the tree is to have someone cut the choking vines down. When I showed the picture of this tree to my wife, she said, “Where is this tree?”. I knew immediately what she was thinking; she wanted to cut those vines down. She is a compassionate person, and she wanted to help that tree. When I told her what she was thinking about, she laughed, because it was true. So much for the tree; the answer is simple for it, but what about bound people? The answer isn’t that simple for them. There are different social programs available for many of the problems, but the best program is the one run by my best Friend. His program has never failed to solve the problems of someone who is willing to follow the program to the letter. If you would like to contact Him, His address is, ASK, SEEK, KNOCK. His name is Jesus. And His program always works. |
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| By H. Witmyer |