Dangerous Playground

Years ago I spent a lot of evenings and Saturday mornings in church basements and smoky meeting rooms.  I hung out at those places with a wide variety of folks who were there for the same purpose--to get their heads screwed on right.  There were plenty of times back then when I surely must have resembled an over sized Charley McCarty puppet with it's head on backwards.  You know....that stupid grin with the expression that has "what's goin' on" stamped all over it!!

That was then, and now is now.  Sure, there are still times when some might wonder if that head still isn't on just a bit backwards, but for the most part it's eyes front with focus.  Blessings will never cease. 

One of the things I heard over and over from a friend of mine in those basements and meeting rooms was this:  "My mind is a dangerous playground, and I have no business going there by myself."  I remember the first time he said that I thought..."come on man, what are you talking about?"  In the long run, I am glad that I heard that sage advice over and over.

You see, even today....as solid as I feel, and think I am, I realize that my mind is still a dangerous playground and it can still get me into a lot of trouble.  I can make "decisions" that are no better than double knee jerk reactions.  I can go off on tangents that are more like 1000' cliffs.  And I can get myself into t-r-o-u-b-l-e! 

I'm not talking about everyday normal matters here.  I'm talking about things, situations, and matters that can have important outcomes on my daily life and how I am with myself, other folks, and God.  If I don't have accountability it is very, very easy for me to go off the reservation.  I can easily find myself getting back into habits I shouldn't get near.  I will start forgetting the basics, and my behavior will suffer.

Being held accountable by another, preferably a christian brother, is a mixture of tough love, compassion, perception, brutal honesty, and unconditional love.  And it ain't easy.  But, in the long run the results are far better than going to the playground alone.  There's more at stake now that the head is turned around.