“Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone.” – Judges 18:7 ESV
According to 1 Kings 16:31, King Ahab’s sin was not only that he did wicked and evil things but it was the easiness of how he did those wicked things that was his real problem, “Ahab found it easy to walk in sins…” Wicked behavior is a problem but ‘easy livin’ is man’s real problem. “Easy livin’ , many times comes because of how a person thinks about himself. Job lived easily until God decided to test his heart. ‘Easy livin’ can lead to self-righteousness and idolatry in a person’s heart. ‘Easy living’ contributes to the flaw in people’s lives when they place things and other people, their, idols, on the altars of their hearts instead of putting the Lord where He belongs in their hearts.
The People of Laish were a vivid image of people who totally disregard God’s warning, “Mortal man, he said, tell your people what happens when I bring war to a land.” The people of that country choose one of their number be a lookout (Ezekiel 33:2 GNT). They were living so well, doing what they wanted to do, that they couldn’t even tell what was happening around them. There was no lookout and the people who were trying to warn them every Sunday during church worship services were hardly ever listened to. The time will come when people will not listen to true teaching anymore. The Lord always warns His people to be watchful and ready. But they will find more and more teachers who please them and say what they want to hear. But God’s people need to be prepared always for whatever the enemy may bring our way.
Sometimes the Lord Himself brings things into our lives to test us and to see what we are made of. Those that adhere to the ‘easy living’ free-spirited and careless lifestyle always get caught unprepared and not ready. They will be doing everything that they were always doing and they will get caught off guard, just like the people during Noah’s day and just like the ‘easy living’ lifestyle of the people of Laish; “Sidon was too far away to protect them. Even though their town had no walls, the people thought they were safe from attack. So, they had no asked anyone else for protection, which meant that the tribe of Dan could easily take over Laish” (Judges 18:7 CEV). The people of Laish did not have anyone in any type of authority that would make their lives difficult. As a result of a lack of anxiety, the people of Laish lived carefree. Living carefree is alright if our confidence is put in the right place.
The right place for our confidence should be in the Lord, our Savior Jesus Christ. If we have our trust in Jesus then the Lord will answer our petitions, protect us, and provide for our needs. How are you living?
Submitted by Trustee Stanley Ridley