Like a City Without Walls

 "Like a city broken into and left without a wall, so is a person who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28

Bad habits are like breaches in the wall of the "city" of our lives.  If left in disrepair, they become an easy access point for destruction and decay.

I felt challenged this morning to examine a few places in my life where the "wall is broken."  Usually these things are easiest to spot in my children.  For example, I think they consume too much sugar.  (I wonder who they get that from?)  That's when the Holy Spirit brought this scripture to mind.  I felt like He was reminding me that any place in my own personal life where I consistently lack self-control will be an area where my children will also lack self-control.  He's right.

Like the old phrase, "most things are caught, not taught" my children are affected by the areas in my life where I choose to either walk in self-control or a lack of self-discipline.  As Joyce Meyer says, "either we will suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret."  There are certainly several areas in my life where I've opted to simply "do as I please" and disregard a more beneficial option.  Eventually, that type of behavior wears down at the wall of protection and encroaches upon the good boundaries that should be set up in our lives.

I think the Lord is kindly reminding me that I need to address some issues in my own life -- repair the wall -- and therefore help bring a lasting and effective change in the lives of my children.