In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter tells us to “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the devil is prowling like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”
But what does it mean to be alert? How do we do that practically? I was thinking about this as I was driving home last night and a light bulb went on in my brain.
When we are driving, staying alert is critical. To have the best chance at being safe on the road, I have to do a few things. I have to first secure my license to drive by passing a test. I also need to know the laws of the road and choose to obey those laws.
But that’s not enough.
I also have to be defensive. I have to watch out for those that are close to me that might cause me harm or put me in danger.
If everyone that was driving not only knew the laws, but obeyed the laws, there would be a lot less danger on the road. If everyone that was driving was selfless and considerate, we would rarely have danger on the road. Sadly, this is not the case. So I have to be alert and ready to respond when someone near me breaks a law, or acts in a selfish, inconsiderate way.
And then, even if I’m driving according to the laws and being kind, and the cars all around be are doing the same, there can still be outside influences that affect us. A tire could blowout, or a deer could run into the road. So we have to be always watching, ready to respond to whatever comes our way. The more experienced we are as drivers, the better and more naturally we can handle these surprise situations.
We gain that experience by driving regularly over time and in different conditions. We learn to trust how our car handles, how quick to turn the wheel or how long it takes to stop when we hit the brake.
The same is true in our walk with Christ. We first have to secure our salvation by believing in Jesus and knowing that he died in our place to pay for our sins. Then, we must not only know God’s commandments, but also choose to obey them. That’s a start.
Then, we have to choose to surround ourselves with people that are also walking with Christ and choosing to follow his commands. Our closest friends, our inner circle, needs to be people that are trying daily to live the way God wants them to live, and who will encourage us to do the same. If we surround ourselves with people who are living dangerously, that can also lead to negative consequences in our own lives.
And once we have secured our salvation, learned God’s laws, made the decision to obey them the best we can, surrounded ourselves with iron-sharpening people, then we still have to be alert. Because the devil is prowling seeking to destroy us, so we’ll have challenges in life that spring up when we least expect them. But the more experienced we are at walking with Christ, the more equipped we are to handle those situations when they come. The more natural it becomes to respond correctly.
We gain that experience by walking with Jesus over time. By being in communication with him daily, reading his word to learn more about him. And as much as we don’t like it, we gain that experience by going through trials and seeing him work, as our faith and our trust grow deeper each time. We learn through each situation to trust what we know – that He is always with us and will provide exactly what we need at just the time we need it in order to fulfill his plan.