PREVENTATIVE CARE

I recently got a lovely yet generalized birthday card from my insurance company. It said something along the lines of: "Happy Birthday! Now hurry up and schedule your mammogram/colonoscopy/skin cancer screening/prostrate check appointment!"

I was touched. Even though at least one of those things is probably still a few years off, and one of them ain't never gonna happen.

But those insurance companies sure are wise. They want their insurees to be taking really good care of themselves because they know one thing:

Preventative care costs way less than curative care.

It's why my dental plan totally covers routine cleanings twice a year. They'd rather foot the bill for that than for a root canal down the road.

And isn't there wisdom at preventing what can be headed off at the pass--rather than trying to clean up shrapnel from a situation that eventually blows up?

I happen to believe that the Word of God is perfect...sacred...God-breathed. The inherent and infallible utterance of Almighty God. But afford me a moment of referring to the Bible as a Preventative Care Manual. If you think nothing more of it, at least consider its ability to steer us away from that which will be costly down the road.

Proverbs is full of references to our words--nagging, gossip, slander--and when we yield to the truth spoken about the effect of words, we can actually head off broken friendships and relationships.

Proverbs also speaks to the snare of debt--by avoiding it now, we are kept safe from financial obligation down the road.

Proverbs, once again, warns the simple youth from being enticed by the wayward woman. I don't even think this one requires further explanation of the disaster that can be avoided by heeding this.

And yet, for many--Believers included!--this book gathers dust on a shelf. We forego the small investment of being in the Word daily, and then wonder why we end up with such costly catastrophes later down the road.

Our God can redeem even our disasters and bring healing in the devastated places in our lives. But He longs to see us sidestep the traps that will lead to long-term effects of sin. A little preventative care of being daily in prayer and in the Word is our insurance of being kept safe from certain pitfalls.

Sure, it'll cost a bit of time each day.

But better that than what it could cost down the road if we don't.