Playing Chicken with the Devil (Aug 21)

When we were kids, sometimes we would play chicken, usually on bikes. Basically, two people would ride toward each other and whoever turned aside first, was the chicken and lost. It can be done with any vehicle, or even on foot. Sometimes you’ll hear of someone playing chicken with a train, or an animal in the road playing chicken with your car as you’re driving towards it. It’s a test of willpower and nerves, to see who will give up first. Obviously, if played correctly, the result will be a collision.

I often ride the bicycle on trails and sometimes there are a lot of other people riding, walking, or jogging. At those times, you have to be careful to stay to the right, alert people when passing, and if riding side-by-side, you must ride single file when someone else approaches. Unfortunately, people don’t always do that. There have been many times when I have to ride off the trail to go around people that don’t get out of the way in time. Sometimes it feels like I’m playing a game of chicken. As I approach, they should be moving over, so it is sometimes tempting to maintain my position until the absolute last moment when I’m sure that they just aren’t going to budge.

It got me to thinking about how we sometimes play chicken in other areas of life. Sometimes people work very closely against deadlines. If even one thing goes wrong, they could be late and have problems. Some people hold their bills until the absolute last second before sending payment. One hiccup in the mail and they’ve got late fees. I’ve heard of some people that have it down to within dollars and cents as to when and how much is deposited and when and which bills they pay, trying to avoid late payments and overdraft fees while living barely within their means. It’s like people are just asking for something to go wrong. But more importantly, what about the spiritual side of life? What happens when we play chicken with the devil? We see just how close to the edge between God’s will and the devil’s temptations we can get without teetering right off into oblivion.

1Co 6:18-20 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1Co 3:16-18 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (18) Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

Let me tell you something about playing chicken: The more you play it, the bolder you become; the bolder you become, the closer you get to destruction. Sooner or later, when playing chicken, you lose.