Depart from evil and do good

It was 1984 and I was excited for a day of hiking with my fellow high school freshman Ron. We planned to eat beans from the can like on the adventure movies and I put the cans in my backpack. We hiked through the mud and hills by the creek and in about 20 to 30 minutes came to the Missouri River.

With excitement I pulled the cans out of my backpack and set them down on the ground and looked at them a few minutes celebrating. I was celebrating my assessment that we were true adventurers.

The only thing that was left was to open them, so I turned to my friend. I said to Ron, “hand me the can opener.” It was then that we realized there was one key thing we didn’t have… the can opener.

Even though we were very discouraged I realized we could open the cans with a rock. Unfortunately, this did not work and in my hunger, I told Ron, “I’ve heard that we can eat snails.”

In all the excitement a freshmen brain can muster we agreed and began the search. We begin looking under wood by the river hoping to fine them. About the fourth log I turned over I noticed there was something moving. As I looked closer, I realized underneath the log was a freshly uncovered beehive.

Surprisingly the bees were not happy and began to buzz really loudly. I began running screaming through the woods. My dear friend Ron realized what was going on and decided to encourage me by saying, “don’t run this way.”

I raced through the trees and finally stopped at the bluff and realized I got stung twice. At that point we surrendered and returned home.

Three things to learn from my real adventurer trip.

First, freshman boys in high school don’t have the best preparation skills.

Second if you decide to go where there’s bees, you’re going to get stung. Proverbs 22:3- “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.” That means don’t be surprised if you go where you shouldn’t and you get hurt.

The final point is the best way to get away from danger is to run away from it. Psalms 37:27- “Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.”

As we know the Bible tells us to be thankful and that connects to my final point. I’m very thankful I grew up and never did eat a snail…. Has anyone seen my can opener?

We continue our Bible Study of Revelation this Sunday at First Baptist Church (1101 N. Main St.) at 6 pm. It is open to all!

If you have a question you would like answered for future columns email mathewvroman@gmail.com