Intruder alert!

It seemed so simple — and so fun. She’d just have a few friends over for a party. Mom was gone for the weekend — what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, right?

What Jill hadn’t counted on was the fact that the house was clearly visible from the apartment complex down the street.  She hadn’t thought through all the possibilities, such as:

What if some of the teens from those apartments notice the ‘get together’ at her house?

What if they decide to come and check it out?

What if they bring, say, alcohol and smokes (of varying kinds)?

What if things get way out of hand?

What if the house ends up a big mess?

What if Mom comes home just a little sooner than expected?

So Jill’s plan began—- and turned out far differently than she ever expected. Mom came home to some interesting discoveries:

Glasses with alcoholic drinks still in them, stashed in cupboards, behind and under furniture.

Full ashtrays under furniture

Interesting rearrangements of furniture

And more ...

After arriving and making some of those interesting discoveries, Mom asked Jill, “What happened?”

“Oh my gosh, Mom, I never thought this would happen. Those kids just came over.  Before I knew what was happening, they just ...”

That day, Jill learned the importance of thinking ahead. She learned about planning, imagining possibilities, probabilities and consequences.

Jill also learned an important life lesson — there are “intruders” everywhere, not just at parties, but in life in general.

It’s not always easy to “keep them out of your house,” as the scripture warns us to do.  Sometimes these “intruders” slip in, unnoticed until they make themselves known — usually in unpleasant ways.

While the instruction, "Do not receive into the house or welcome anyone who comes to you and does not bring this teaching; for to welcome is to participate in the evil deeds of such a person." (2 John 10-11) may seem particularly harsh, it is true.

Many times it seems that the closer we are walking in God’s grace, love and purpose for our lives, the more determined these “intruders” are to get in the middle and ruin things.

We must always be on the lookout. We must always stay connected to God, because God will open our eyes and give us the wisdom and sight we need to recognize these “intruders” in time — for what they really are. Once we recognize them, we can rely on the presence and power of God’s holy spirit to defeat them.

Better yet, as we grow and deepen our relationship with God through Jesus the Christ, we will become more and more able to recognize the “intruders” as they approach.  We’ll be able to take “holy evasive action.”

So spend time with God this week. Pray. Read scripture. Share with Christian friends.

Be spiritually awake and aware for the next “intruder alert!” from God.