Let It Go

It is dangerous to hold on to some things. There is a story told by Pastor Chuck Swindoll about a mother with a large family who was surprised when she returned home from visiting a friend. The house seemed unusually and suspiciously quiet as she entered the front door. She saw her children huddled in a circle on their hands and knees in the living room. She came closer and looked to see what was holding them in rapt attention. She was shocked. In the middle of the circle of her children were five baby skunks!

She screamed to the children, “Quick children… run!” The children immediately reacted, grabbed a skunk, and ran! That was not the response she had in mind!

How often do we react in a similar fashion to somethings in our lives? Our response is just as inappropriate as the children’s. We hold onto something that could be dangerous or disgusting for us carrying the potential disaster with us. We do so unaware of the possible consequences of foolishly clutching onto something that we think we need or is harmless.

Frequently God urgently calls out to us in our foolishness and issues a warning through a variety of sources – His Word, wise friends, godly counsel, our sensitized conscious, etc. – and we respond in an inappropriate way and hold on to what God wants us to avoid. As a result, we do not avoid the disaster, we carry it with us.

David gives us a vivid example as he tires of being on the run from his arch nemesis, King Saul. This same David had faced a giant, Goliath, earlier with confidence that the Lord could handle an enemy. He responds to Goliath’s treats by saying, “I come to you in the name of the Lord… This day the Lord shall deliver you into my hand” (1 Samuel 17:45-46). He ran forward and defeated a mighty confident foe (17:48-50). Years later after constant attack by a lesser foe, Saul, he holds onto the “skunk” of fear and said in his heart, “I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines” (27:1). As a result, he aligns with the enemy of his nation, engages in deception (27:10-12), and destroys his reputation. He held onto the “skunk” of fear when he should have let it go.

Think about David later as he held onto the “skunk” of lust. David had been made king of Israel and successfully led his nation in conquest of the nation’s enemies. It is then we see the danger of not letting a appealing “skunk” go. David is at a time when he could sit back and enjoy his successes. Tragically he is confronted by the lust of desire for another man’s wife, Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). Ignoring God’s commands, he does not leave the temptation. He brings it with him and places it into his heart and life. He takes Bathsheba, commits adultery, engages in deception, and arranges for her husband’s murder. He just would not let it go and the consequences of his action impacted his family and kingdom for years.

There is an individual in the New Testament who was dealing with the “skunk” of power that he needed to let go. Simon the sorcerer was a man who was “Claiming that he was someone great” (Act 8:9). He convinced people in Samaria this was so, and they declared, “This man is the great power of God” (8:10). But when Philip came to town, Simon saw he had competition “seeing the miracles and signs which were done” by Philip (8:13). Simon was so impressed that he wanted the same kind of power that was obviously greater than his. When Peter and John came to Samaria to see what Philip was doing, he saw an opportunity to hold onto his power by asking them to give him the same power Philip had. He tried to buy the power and was rebuked by Peter, saying, “Your money perish with you because you thought that the gift of god could be purchased with money!” (8:20). Too often people are desperately trying to hold on to power when they need to let go and allow God to use them as He sees fit. As Baron Acton observes, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Simon needed to let go of that “skunk” of power rather than be its servant.

There are numerous individuals both in the Bible and our everyday life that need to let go of the little “skunks” that can stink up their lives. What things are hard to let go of in our lives? Perhaps it is time to listen to the God given warnings we have been provided. Maybe it is time that we listen to the warning that mother gave her children, “Quick children… run!” Let us not be so foolish that we run with the “skunks” that we should leave behind! After all, who wants to be a little stinker!