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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for September 20, 2010
“God Cares About Carelessness”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
A 20 year old Tallahassee man accidentally shot himself while toying with a loaded gun last week.
He died Saturday.
Friends witnessed the whole thing and said he thought the safety was on.
If there is ever a time you don’t want to be careless, it’s when you are handling a loaded gun.
Officials used the sober occasion to remind people of these important gun handling tips:
--Never point a weapon at anything you don’t want to shoot.
--Treat all weapons as loaded.
--Keep your finger off the trigger.
--Be sure of your target as well as what is behind your target.
Carelessness usually doesn’t cost people their life, but it usually costs something.
You may not be a mean person or a destructive person, but are you a careless person?
Carelessness can result in as much damage as meanness. If you carelessly drive your car into a man on the street, the result is the same as if you ran him down with hatred in your heart. If you carelessly break the speed limit, your speeding ticket will be same as if you were driving a stolen Camaro full of hot Mexican weed.
Carelessness is the lack of concern about the consequences of your action. You do it without thinking of what all might happen.
Some people are careless about time. They are always late, or they miss appointments entirely. Yes, they are always sorry, but their carelessness wastes other people’s time just the same as if they did it on purpose.
Most people don’t get sick on purpose, but when you are careless about hygiene, you will get sick just the same as if you drank mild poison. You shake hands with people, you use the restroom, you don’t wash your hands, you eat French fries, you lick your fingers, and then your belly hurts and you wonder why. Your carelessness has made you sick.
You buy an appliance and you don’t read the directions. Who needs those anyway? You carelessly operate it, you don’t do it right, and it breaks. Your carelessness has destroyed your appliance just the same is if you hit it with a sledgehammer.
Here is a Proverb we need to pay attention to. It’s Proverbs 18:9 which says, “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.”
You don’t have to be a destroyer. If you are slack in your work, you are a brother to the destroyer.
When you think of “slack in your work” you might think of laziness, but this also includes carelessness. Everyone who is slack in their work is careless. They are unconcerned about the consequences.
If you are a stealing worker, you are going to be fired. If you are a careless worker, you are going to be fired, too, because you are costing the company as sure as the thief is.
Carelessness means you aren’t thorough. You give little forethought or consideration to what you do.
Careless people are inconsiderate. They don’t consider other people or their time or their money or even their feelings.
We should be considerate, not careless.
If you are a good athlete, but careless, you will be cut from the team as sure as the guy with two left feet.
Careless people are negligent. They neglect to think things through. They neglect to consider the outcome or the consequences for others.
Do you find that other people often have to step in and take care of things for you? Do you often have to call people at the last minute because you need something? Those are consequences of carelessness.
I listen to a lot of sermons, tons of sermons. I love listening to sermons as the Word of God is proclaimed; but one thing I hear sometimes is careless preaching. A preacher will get on a roll and just start saying things, things that aren’t in the Bible, or maybe aren’t even true. They aren’t trying to mislead. They aren’t trying to spread false doctrine. They are just being careless, but it confuses people just the same.
You might think that God is not concerned about carelessness, but think again. In Matthew 12:36 Jesus said, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”
Maybe you thought you would only have to account for your cussing or taking the Lord’s name in vain or lies you told or gossip or venomous words spoken in hatred and malice; but no. Jesus said we will have to give an account for every careless word.
God cares about carelessness. Why? Because it can result in as much damage as malice.
If you carelessly shoot off your mouth, it can hurt people as much as if you ripped them on purpose.
Here is a good phrase that is the opposite of carelessness. Psalm 39:1 says, “…I will take heed to my ways…”
Proverbs 27:23 gives another opposite of carelessness: diligence.
If we do not take heed to our ways, if we are not diligent, then we must brace ourselves for Proverbs 19:16 which says “…he who is careless of his ways will die.”
Carelessness hurts people just as surely as malice, so today, examine your life for carelessness; and where you find it, determine with the help of God to exchange it for carefulness and consideration, taking heed to your ways and being diligent in all matters.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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