“Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.”
A number of years ago a book became popular as a way to approach the challenges and ever pressing details of life. It was an instant success. Life coaches espoused the proposition of the title and began coaching clients with it. In 1997 “Don’t sweat the small stuff…and it’s all small stuff” by Richard Carlson swept the counseling and business worlds, remaining in the #1 spot for 2 years. To way over simplify, the main concept was about dealing with all of the pressures that threaten to weigh you down in life. Solomon makes a statement in this verse that is easy to pass over. When I first read that sand is a burden I thought of Richard’s principal. I grew up around the beaches of Florida. I hate sand. It gets everywhere and I’m not sure of any good uses for it. Well, ok, concrete, orange grows and a few hundred other things but as a young man growing up around it I found it annoying. Solomon calls it a burden. One thing I knew for sure was that a grain of sand was not a burden. It was only as it accumulated in places it was not wanted that it became a nuisance. When it is put in bags, oh yeah protection from hurricane flooding was another good use, it gets heavy. At that point the very small stuff made me sweat. Long journey to a simple point. Small sins ignored become large burdens. We may not sweat small business and life challenges but one small sin begets another until we are overwhelmed in sin. It to gets uncomfortable and as they accumulate they become a burden or worse. Remember it only took one sin to drive the nails into Jesus on the cross. Two long visuals for one simple point. Sweat the small sins. They will destroy you. Today search your heart and mind for sin, confess, repent and walk clean with God. #BeTheEdge
“if I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart” Job 31:33 NIV
