DANGEROUS RELATIONSHIP

It has been a crazy couple of weeks.  My computer has been attempting to toss ME out the window!  But I must say that what did not kill me certainly made me stronger.  Oh how I envy those who have electronically literate young people in their lives.  I am sure that much of my suffering could have been avoided if I just had someone to ask, but I persevered and, if you promise to keep this quiet, I will tell you that I just might have the problem solved by trial and error.  Shhh…

It all started with a “slow down.”  I was keyboarding in Word, the computer wasn’t; at least not at the same pace.  I was trying to work on line, the computer was moving like a slug, making me wonder over and over if it was responding or not.  I ran Spybot.  It smiled and told me I had a super clean system. The “slow down” got worse.  Everything was a waiting game.  Very annoying.  I began to fret. :)

Then my MP3 died.  What?  What does that have to do with anything?  (Hold on. There is an answer.)  MP3’s apparently cannot have their batteries changed.  They live until they die and that’s that.  Soooo… I bought a new one. Thank goodness they are cheap; cheaper than my cell phone batteries.  It was an innocent little thing with a very American name.  I would take it home, download my music and be off again.  HA. 

When I hooked it up it wanted to install itself.  Who would think that could be a problem?  It’s a reliable company and not something I downloaded from online.  Sure.  Go ahead and install. :)

WOW, was that a mistake!  It not only installed itself but several other programs as well, including Weather Bug and Norton. And all of these programs turned out to be “power hungry” monsters, living in a powerless computer.  I have about as much RAM as I have brains, and that is NOT much.  I maxed out my board long ago and there is nothing I can do to increase my RAM, sooo… everyone wanted to be in charge and everyone wanted control at the same time.  Very quickly, my computer flashed me a note that said, “Flash Player has crashed!”

Okay.  Now what?  I had no idea what to do, but I found out that my FP handled just about everything that makes any kind of movement.  Doing anything at all on line was a certain crash situation.  What to do?  Well, I struggled with ideas which led me through dumping program after program and finally led me to Player Download Center where I could pick up the latest version of Flash Player.  Whew, I can use my computer again. 

By the way I totally dumped my MP3 install.  It not only messed up my computer, it messed up my music list big time!  Who needs it, anyway?  I use Media Player. :)

But, to get to the point, this innocent looking, interactive new friend of mine was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.   It nearly destroyed my computer.  And I had let it in.  It was a dangerous relationship.

Recently I saw a picture of a frog with a butterfly on it face.  Both were beautiful, innocent creatures and the picture was awesome, but the relationship had no good ending in sight.  There was that butterfly on the toad’s face, its little feet over the top lip of the frog and under his chin.  They were looking into each others eyes.  What would the next move be?

May we all be careful who we invite into our lives as constant influences.  Yes, we must love and care about all, but we do not need to invite danger into our lives as a constant presence.

I am remembering one marriage counselor who spoke about young people who date the unsaved because they think they can be the influence and bring that person to Christ.  His advice was, invariably, to ask whether the person they are dating is bringing them closer to Christ or taking them farther away. What a great thought to use for the frog - butterfly relationship.  Is the butterfly thinking she can teach the frog to fly?  Or, is the frog thinking, just one snap of my tongue and I will have her?  Could they ever really be close friends?  Christ says, “No.”  He says not to be unequally yoked together.  He says that because it could kill us to be so close to evil.

May we be seriously careful what or who we allow to influence our lives and our direction in walking with God.  And may we earnestly pray that our children will, too.