Don’t Cross that Line
And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither. For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head. -1 Kings 2:36-37
Here’s an interesting story in Scripture. A man named Shimei had committed sin and fallen into trouble, and was shown considerable mercy. Though he was most likely worthy to die, Shimei’s sentence was simply to build a house, and dwell there: without crossing a certain boundary line. If he were to cross that line, he would surely die.
Shimei’s fate
As it so happened, Shimei was of course glad to hear this verdict of mercy, and followed it for a time. Yet with the passage of time he got comfortable, and perhaps forgot the severity of the king’s words, or thought that the consequences of the boundary lines weren’t in effect. Whatever the cause, after about three years Shimei crossed his appointed boundary line, thinking no ill would come to him.
Yet the king heard of his transgression, and Shimei was put to death: all because he forgot about his own limitations, and the impending danger that lurked for him if he were to cross his appointed boundary line.
Sometimes we have boundary lines
In some of our lives, we go through things that ought to have cost us our lives: whether it be drug addiction, alcoholism, or any number of dangerous actions. Yet somehow God has had mercy on us, and has given us a second chance at life: with some boundaries.
Some areas can be off-limits for us.
In these instances, it’s very important to always remember the power and sway such sins have had in our lives in the past, and not to be dulled by the passage of time. We are never too big or too strong to become invulnerable to something that has haunted us in the past. Only in the afterlife in heaven will we be fully freed from our current bodies, with all of its weaknesses and shortcomings.
O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. -Romans 7:24-25
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