In The Wrong Place

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everal years ago when a destructive earthquake shook the area of Los Angeles, California, there were those interviewed who said, “We received severe damage because we were in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

These people had no way of knowing that they were in the wrong place. However, in many circumstances of life, we may be guilty of purposely choosing the wrong place.

May I take this moment to remind you that there is never the right time for a Christian to be in the wrong place! Sometimes we may feel that we are strong enough to overcome such evil environments, but millions have found that they are not!

“The least movement is of importance to all nature. The entire ocean is affected by a pebble” ~ Blaise Pascal ~

It is wondered how many (when receiving counseling) have admitted being in the wrong environment?

Some have said, “I just got caught up in an evil crowd,” or “I just let down my guard because of the evil influence.”

One of the responsibilities we face as parents and teachers is to help young people recognize the dangers of being in the wrong places. They must realize that when we make friends with the world, we become enemies with God (James 4:4).

To help us see the dangers that we all face in the wrong places, let us look at some Bible examples:

Abraham Went Down To Egypt

In the very same chapter where God promised Abraham to make of him a great nation, we learn that Abraham allowed himself to be in the wrong place (Genesis 12:10). When a severe famine came to Canaan, Abram took his wife Sarai and went down to Egypt.

As he approached the land (the wrong place), he took matters into his own hands. He said to his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife; and they will kill me, but they will let you live’ “ (vss. 11,12).

What happened to his faith in God? Did Abram really need to lie to help God? This man will later conduct himself so that he will be known as the father of the faithful, but in this wrong place, he went wrong.

To Sarai he said, “Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you” (vs. 13).

Well, Abram was treated like royalty for a while. In fact, he gained from this lie, such things as sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels (vs. 16). But he also got something else! He got caught, and was sent out of Egypt by Pharaoh.

The man who was right with God was in the wrong place.

David Was On The Rooftop

There is no way for us to know how much pain David felt in his life because he was in the wrong place. The wrong place in this context was on the roof of his house where he saw another man’s wife bathing. This place and temptation led this godly man to commit adultery, lie, deceive, and finally murder (2 Samuel 11).

Before David found himself in this place, if one had asked him if he would ever consider committing all of these sins, he would have no doubt been insulted. After all, he was the humble shepherd boy who had been guided by the powerful hand of God to become the king of United Israel! How could anyone dare suggest such a thing!

However, in the wrong place, David’s eyes became blind, and his sense of reasoning dulled. He refused to take the time to weigh what is right or wrong.

In our lives today, with the sweet taste of temptation, it also can become easy to ignore the bitter taste of sin.

Someone may say, “I will go to this wrong place, just this one time, and it won’t hurt anything.”

For David, it took only one occasion, one time, one look, and one sin. This began the first link of a sinful chain that almost destroyed this one who is described as “a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).

In fact, this wrong place got David in so deeply that it required one of God’s prophets (Nathan) to point out his sins through a powerful word picture, to turn him around (2 Samuel 12:7).

Elijah Under a Juniper Tree

If ever there was a prophet of God who could be called a hero, it was Elijah the Tishbite. He was God’s man, and would stand against the strongest enemy. In fact, this is exactly what he did when he faced Ahab and Jezebel!

He won a powerful victory on Mount Carmel against four hundred and fifty men of Baal worship (1 Kings 18:22).

He had called upon God to stop the rains, and it did not rain for three years and six months (1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17). Then at his request to God, the rain came (1 Kings 18:41-45).

With this success rate, one would never think that Elijah could become discouraged, depressed, afraid, and lonely. However, this happened to him because while under a juniper tree, he was in the wrong place.

While in this place, he prayed, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4).

However, God made arrangements to get him from under this tree. He dispatched an angel with some food, and Elijah was then sent to Horeb, the mountain of God (vs. 8).

Elijah was not only discouraged, but he didn’t even have all the facts. He had become so battle scared, and fatigued from fighting with Ahab and Jezebel that he forgot to turn his life fully over to God.

Finally God caused Elijah to bring his feeling out into the open. This prophet said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (vs. 10).

Just imagine the look on Elijah’s face when the Lord informed him, “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (vs. 18).

Peter At The Fire of the Enemy

Shortly before Jesus faced the ordeal of the cross, He had announced to His apostles: “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night” (Matthew 26:31). Peter let the Lord know that he would not be guilty of doing this. When the Lord spelled out his denial in detail, Peter still said, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (vs. 35).

However, Peter had not counted on being in the wrong place. He had not considered the power of being in evil company.

When the time came, Peter shared the campfire with unbelievers. “Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them” (Luke 22:55).

Later, after Peter had denied Jesus, and went out and wept bitterly, he must have asked himself over and over again, “How could I deny Jesus?” The answer: he was in the wrong place with the wrong company.

Conclusion:

Therefore, let us learn lessons from these giants of the Bible, who drifted from God when they found themselves in the wrong places. Likewise, let us resolve, as parents to teach this truth to our children and grandchildren, and to also help provide wholesome events and places for them.

Finally, be assured that the wrong places not only represent a danger for youth, but also to adults of all ages. Remember, to be a part of that prepared eternal place in heaven, we must avoid the evil places of sin on earth! —BBBristow