Have you ever wondered how many people we have caused to miss heaven? Right when the kingdom was there for the taking, we suddenly do something completely contrary to the will of God or the leaning of the holy spirit. Those moments when God places something on our heart, but we choose to do the opposite, because it gives us personal satisfaction, but leaves the intended recipient at a loss. We must be aware that the harvest is not always at our convenience, in fact it occurs often, when we have conflicting plans. Collateral damage occurs when we as Christians turn a positive opportunity into a life hindering memory, while oblivious, the recipient of that hurt bears it for a lifetime. Will it cause us to lose our salvation, most likely “no,” but what will Jesus inquire of us, when he asks “why”? Why did you hurt the most vulnerable of his sheep, those that are broken and suffering heartache, when at the moment of their calling, we do something so contrary and detrimental that the hope and the courage they gained immediately and suddenly vanishes?
Truly, the whole of humanity has suffered collateral damage from the beginning, it is not a new phenomenon, the Bible is full of such, to serve as a reminder to us; Adam's sin when he ate of the fruit, and when asked rather than accept responsibility he blamed both God and Eve (Genesis 3:12); And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Abel’s murder at the hand of Cain his brother (Genesis 4:10); And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.Abraham having to put away his first son Ismael (Genesis 21:11); 11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. Lot's wife fleeing the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:26); But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. Saul's haste, and unwillingness to wait on God (1 Samuel 15:11); 11 “Saul has stopped obeying me, and I’m sorry that I made him king.” The disciples forbidding children to come to Jesus (Mark 10:14); But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
