BIBLE READING: I Timothy 1
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;
7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.
My oldest son just received his drivers permit. We now go through the period of him driving with us in the car until he qualifies to get his permanent license. It is scary to think of your child driving on their own with all the dangerous things that can happen on the road. One of the many things I have told him was that if he ever is driving and a squirrel or a small animal runs out in front of him, never “swerve” to try to miss it. The reason is he could lose control of his car, or he could run into someone else’s car and cause great damage, or even fatally hurt himself or another person. It would be better to kill a squirrel than to risk killing yourself.
You may or may not have known that the word “swerve” was in the Bible. Paul describes individuals that instead of continuing down the road they were supposed to follow, which was a road of a pure heart, good conscience, and strong faith, they “swerved” and ran off the road. They instead turned to “vain jangling”. That means a lot of talk with no substance. It means individuals that have a lot to say, but what they say doesn’t mean a lot. In fact, in verse seven, he says that these people desire to teach others their great knowledge, but people do not understand what they say, nor do they understand the point they are trying to make. It is all a waste of time and vain.
Any of us, if we’re not careful, can easily “swerve”. Satan throws a lot of things across the road that we travel, and he is trying to get us off track. I know many people that were doing great until a trial jumped out in front of them, a circumstance ran across, or even a sickness suddenly jumped out. And unfortunately, they “swerved”.
If I may today, I would love to encourage each of you today, “keep it between the lines”.