Do you know what happens when you drink a soda? Let’s walk through it. In the first 10 minutes after you drink a soda, you would normally vomit because of how sweet it is. But, you don’t, because they put an acid into the soda to offset vomiting.
In 20 minutes, your blood sugar spikes causing insulin in your body to burst. Your liver then turns all the sugar hitting your body into fat.
In 40 minutes, the caffeine has been absorbed so your blood pressure rises.
In 60 minutes, you will have to pee and you will release the calcium, magnesium and zinc that was headed to build your bones. In the end you will end up crashing causing you to be sluggish or irritable.
So knowing that information, why would we ever drink another soda?
Proverbs 12:15 says,
Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. MSG
Scriptures says, people who know the truth and ignore it are fools. We know the truth and we ignore it because we want what we want and we do what we want to do.
Think about it for a second. Why do we do what we do? For example in the area of money. We know from the financial series this past January, if you put $167 a month into a money fund from age 19 until age 26, it will grow into two million by age 65 [depending on the interest rate]. So why would we ever allow our kids to go into debt for car? Because,
Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. MSG
Think about your relationships. For example marriage. I can fix your marriage in five minutes, maybe ten. Here is what you do. Take out two pieces of paper. On one page, write out what your husband can do to bring you to live. On the other, write out what your wife can do to bring you to life. When you finish, swap papers and whatever is listed on that paper, make it your priority. What do we normally do? Come up with 1,001 reasons why we will never do that. Why in the world would we live like that? Because,
Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. MSG
God said in scripture, Jeremiah 29:11-14
11 I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. 12 “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. 13 “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, 14 I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” GOD’s Decree. “I’ll turn things around for you.” MSG
This is an incredible promise. When you get serious and search for God and want Him in your life more than anything else, He will move on your behalf. Why would anyone allow the business of life take over and push their relationship with God out? Because,
Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. MSG
This way of living will ruin your heart. Over time, ignoring wisdom and doing what feels right to you, will shred your heart and do enormous damage.
I want to read to you what scripture says about the longer term impact of ignoring wisdom. Before I do, I need to explain what wisdom is and what a fool is.
Wisdom is not God. It’s not a person like Jesus. Wisdom is the way the world works. It’s common sense or good judgement.
A fool, or a simpleton is not a dumb person. They can be intelligent. A fool is someone who has a character flaw. They refuse to seek out good judgement and do what they want. There can be several reasons why they are fools. They can be prideful, rebellious, lazy, life in fear, undisciplined, angry, greedy or victims. Whatever the reason, a fool, a simpleton will always do what feels right to them.
Proverbs 1:20-33
20 Wisdom [good judgement] shouts in the streets for a hearing. 21 She calls out to the crowds along Main Street, and to the judges in their courts, and to everyone in all the land: 22 “You simpletons!” she cries. “How long will you go on being fools [you may be intelligent but how long will you ignore good judgement]? How long will you scoff at wisdom and fight the facts? 23 Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise. 24 I have called you so often, but still you won’t come. I have pleaded, but all in vain.
25 For you have spurned my counsel and reproof. 26 Some day you’ll be in trouble, and I’ll laugh! Mock me, will you?-I’ll mock you! 27 When a storm of terror surrounds you, and when you are engulfed by anguish and distress, 28 then I will not answer your cry for help. It will be too late though you search for me ever so anxiously.
29 “For you closed your eyes to the facts and did not choose to reverence and trust the Lord, 30 and you turned your back on me, spurning my advice. 31 That is why you must eat the bitter fruit of having your own way and experience the full terrors of the pathway you have chosen. 32 For you turned away from me – to death; your own complacency will kill you. Fools! 33 But all who listen to me shall live in peace and safety, unafraid.” TLB
Wisdom loves you. She goes after you. She cries out to everyone and she does it often. She wants to tell you the secrets of life so that you will succeed. Through our parents, school, church, sports, books and work, wisdom is desperately wanting to love us and see us succeed.
What does a fool do? The simpleton? An Idiot? Someone who is intelligent but refuses to pay attention? They begin to live life on their terms. They do what they feel is right for 5 years, 10 years, 30 years. And slowly, life begins to fall apart. By that time, normally, it’s way too late. The life they want, is replaced with a life filled with drama, damaged, struggle and pain. They ignored wisdom, they were complacent, lazy, undisciplined and now they will pay for it. Now remember, this isn’t God or Jesus talking. This is good judgement talking. After refusing to listen to her, she says, “You’ve ignored me for years and I can’t help you now, it’s too late.”
It’s important that you hear me make the following point. Jesus has come to restore and redeem your heart. But, please hear me, you will have to live out the ramifications of the decisions you made earlier.
This is so important, I’m going to say it again. Jesus came to restore and redeem your heart. But, you will have to live out the ramifications of the decisions you made earlier.
If you drink too much soda, don’t be upset when you pee away calcium meant for your bones.
If you are 19 years old and you don’t put $167 a month away for 8 years, don’t be made that you missed out on over two million by age 65.
If you create 1,001 excuses why you refuse to make your spouse a priority, don’t expect romance, intimacy or a close friendship.
If you don’t get serious about having God’s presence in your life and you allow business to push your relationship with Him out, don’t expect His presence. Please hear me. You simply cannot ignore a relationship with God and expect occasional visits to church and some religious behaviors and expect to walk in the presence of God.
One day a mom asked me to meet with her son. She desperately wanted her teenage son to be fixed. I told her I didn’t think it was a good idea because I am not in a relationship with him and normally, when people find out I’m a pastor, they lie and act fake when they meet me. She pushed and pushed. So against my better judgement, I met him. Pants halfway down his butt. Piercings. Tattoos. Hat to the side. Gold chains. NBA jersey [wasn’t even good team]. Just way too cool.
We spoke a little and I asked him, “Do you realize that if you keep drinking and driving, you will probably end up dead or in a serious accident.” He said, “Yep.” I asked, “If you keep having sex with your girlfriend, you will probably have a baby which leads to more struggles?” He said, “Yep.” I asked, “Do you have any desire to change?” “Nope,” he responded. I asked, “You do realize, if you keep living like this, your story doesn’t have a great ending?” “Yep.”
I was clear when I said, this is your life but I am going to treat you like I’m you’re older brother. You are an idiot. Here is the deal, I don’t get a commission if you become a Christian or go to church. Your mom cares more about you than I do. When you want to grow up, come see me.
Why would I ever treat him like that? Proverbs 9:7-8
If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face; confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins. 8 So don’t waste your time on a scoffer. MSG
If you want to wreck your heart, do not search for or follow wisdom. Ignore her and do what seems right to you. Allow your emotions, desires and hurts determine how you live. If you are prideful, stay prideful and never change a thing. If you are rebellious, keep fighting authority and see were that leads you. If you are lazy, don’t be surprised when life over takes you someday. If you live in fear and it stops you from doing the right thing, your life will get smaller and smaller. Are you angry, it’s going to destroy you. Are you greedy, you will become very sad and paranoid the older you get. Whatever you do, ignore wisdom, be headstrong and do what you feel is right.
Let me ask you, “Are you a fool?” You’re not dumb, you are intelligent but you refuse to search for and follow wisdom.
Someone hands you a soda, what do you do?