By: Obed Pineda
It is a sad and harsh reality that there are certain lessons in life that one obtains at the cost of a great, woeful sacrifice. Moments that one desires would have never taken place, often lamenting over how easily said tragedy could have been prevented. Frequently, these kinds of sorrowful stories sprout from good intentions that spoil because an innocent mistake was made by missing a small, but critical, detail. This was the harrowing case of a poor father whose sole intentions were to rid his home of mice from under his house back in 2017. In his war against the pesky rodents, this man illegally obtained a commercial pesticide (not meant for residential use) that was effective in killing mice, and applied it to the bottom of his residence. He later proceeded to wash the fumigant away with water, unbeknownst to him that the combination would create a phosphine gas that is deadly and poisonous to human beings. Sadly, this toxic blend flowed into his home from beneath while four children were still inside, resulting in their tragic deaths. This father’s strong desire of doing away with mice from his abode clouded his judgment and made him miss the dire warning on the label that stated that mixing the fumigant with water would trigger a toxic reaction. Had this father paused to sagely weigh the consequences of the choice he made, perhaps this catastrophe could have been avoided. Verily, there are multiple object lessons that can be gleaned from this travesty which can apply to our personal lives today. For instance, the high value of being in possession of wisdom and prudence, and using them when making any decision; including seemingly “small” ones. Holy Writ promulgates, “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3, 27:12). It is wise to comprehend that the prudent was able to foresee the threat by cautiously analyzing what it was his eyes were watching. He astutely assessed the situation before him, preparing to the best of his ability for any of the possible outcomes that could transpire. The inspired king elaborates on the precious value of being judicious of what we approve as he warns, “The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps. A wise man fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:15-16). There is no question that the result that took place with the poor father who unknowingly provoked a toxic chemical reaction was not his intention; however it was a product of his folly as the inspired proverb states. Often when studying Scripture and we come across the word “evil,” our mind races to interpret it exclusively as a sinful, wicked action. Yet, upon inspecting carefully the quoted proverb, it becomes evident that the meaning of “evil” within the context is in reference to a dangerous consequence that comes to him who does not “consider well his steps.” It can be agreed by all that what happened to the four children inside the house was an evil thing, but it is simultaneously understood that it was not an evil bred from a malicious intent. Rather it was the outcome of an unwise and uninformed choice. It is just as imperative to observe that this, too, came to be from the mixture of two elements that are incomparable with another. Another example that can be used to expand on the meaning of this is what comes about when a person combines two household cleaning agents together. Vinegar and bleach are two products that are recognized for killing bacteria and disinfecting very effectively. To the untrained mind, perhaps it would make sense to mix them together to create a more potent cleaning agent that can thoroughly sterilize the surface where it will be applied. However, combining vinegar and bleach is an extremely bad idea since this will create the lethal chlorine gas which is very harmful when inhaled. Notice that both of these elements separate from one another are useful and rather harmless when used correctly. It is when they are integrated with one another that they become toxic and fatal. The same is true for a Christian if he is not careful in what he approves or participates in (cf. Romans 14:14-22, 1st Corinthians 8:4-13). It is valuable to mention that there are certain things in this world that are not morally wrong (i.e. sinful) to take part in, but can become sinful. When the rebuilding of the temple had been stalled for sixteen years, God urged His people through Haggai, “Consider you ways” (Haggai 1:5, 7)! During that 16 year span, the returned Jews thought it wise to pause the reconstruction of the temple due to the fierce resistance and opposition they encountered from their adversaries (cf. Ezra 4:1ff). It can be inferred that this decision was selected because they were being accused of “building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations. Let it be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished” (Ezra 4:12-13). Keep in mind that Zerubbabel and the Jews had just returned to Jerusalem from a seventy year captivity in Babylon that took place as a direct result of their rebelliousness against God and Nebuchadnezzar (cf. 2nd Kings 24-25, Jeremiah 27:1ff). Therefore, it should not be surprising to learn that after hearing the outlandish accusations made against them they would choose to cease the reconstruction of the temple to avoid being punished again. The dilemma was that although they had stopped rebuilding the temple, they continued to rebuild their homes and vineyards in Jerusalem (cf. Haggai 1:4-7). Irrefutably, there was nothing wrong with rebuilding the city, but when this action was mixed with the abandonment of completing the rebuilding of Jehovah God’s temple it transformed into a sinful action. God never opposed the Jews’ reclamation of Jerusalem, but rather He exposed the unrighteousness of their negligence of His house. Today, a similar noxious gas (metaphorically speaking) poisons the heart of the Christian when his career takes precedence over his worship of God. Having a career is not evil in and of itself, but when combined with a selfish spirit of ingratitude toward the Father, the venomous toxin of spiritual apathy numbs the mind of the Christian and is fatal to the inward man (cf. Luke 12:13-21). Indeed, it is worthy to learn to judiciously ponder the choices we make, lest we repeat the dreadful mistake of mixing two deadly, incompatible spiritual elements to our detriment (cf. 1st Corinthians 10:14-24).