There is an exposed root in the middle of my path! As I approached it I was very careful not to trip. Then I began to think about what God could teach through this root.

Sin and iniquity hide in our lives are like this root. They seem small but the danger is real and great. Yet we can avoid tripping on them. When we see and know where they are, we slow down. However, one day, if we keep getting close to them, they will catch and trip us.

When I run on this path, I am not as careful as when I walk. I realized that if I continue to run with it as it is – there sticking out in the pathway – it very likely could cause me to stumble. What do we do then?

Proverbs 27:12 tells us to foresee danger and hide ourselves. We are told to avoid sins and not travel on the path that leads to them (Proverbs 4:14-16). In Genesis chapter 39, Joseph physically ran away when the Egyptian woman tried to seduce him. He avoided the sin. In Matthew, Jesus speaks of removing the plank from our own eyes (Matthew 7:3-5). We are to clear away things that can cause us to stumble.

So my advice to you is: when you see something in your life that is a temptation, a danger, a sin – cut it out. Remove it from your life. Don’t let it stay and trip you up one day. Avoid it and do not travel near it. Cut out that root.

-Moriah