Don't Spit On A Roller Coaster

When I was a kid in Ohio, Cedar Point in Sandusky was the place to go. This amusement park nestled beside Lake Erie is world renown for its rides. When I was in school, we probably traveled there once to twice a summer. There was one ride that I do not know if it’s even still there called the “Corkscrew”. Complete with several upside down twists and turns it made good on it’s name. One year I was up there with a bunch of friends and someone had told me that if one spit at the height of the upside down loop then it was supposed to hit you when you hit the bottom. I don’t know what I was thinking. Strangely I justified trying this in my mind. Therefore, when me and a bunch of friends boarded the ride that day, I had a plan. I tried it. However, nothing happened to my knowledge.

When my friends and I gathered after the ride one friend of mine who’d been setting directly behind me says, “It must be starting to rain. I felt a drop while we were on the ride.” I looked up to the clear blue sky and tried not to laugh hilariously. Maybe this was the point I should have confessed it wasn’t rain that hit him. However I never did. I don’t think he’s one of my readers. . .

We have this concept in life that what we do or say doesn’t affect the world around us, but that idea isn’t true. I realize what I did was stupid but it never occurred to me that I’d spit in my friends face. We have to wake up and realize that we’re all on this earth together. We’re all in the body of Christ together and our choices whether bad or good can have an affect on the people our lives will touch.

In the book of Job, Job’s wife and friends all tried to get him to ‘give up’ by ‘cursing God and dying’. I’m sure their constant cajoling to him wasn’t helpful to him in times of trouble. He was going through torment. He didn’t need ‘their words of advice’. He needed there encouragement. Yes, eventually he did make it through, but it wasn’t because of their wisdom.

Adam sinned in the Garden because of allowing himself to listen to Eve.

Abraham fathered Ishmael because of Sarah’s convincing.

While people are accountable for their own actions we have to realize as people, we have the ability to influence for the good or the bad.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV)
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”


Proverbs 22:24 (MSG)
[ 2 ] Don't hang out with angry people; don't keep company with hotheads. Bad temper is contagious— don't get infected.


Psalm 141:3 (MSG)
Post a guard at my mouth, God, set a watch at the door of my lips. Don't let me so much as dream of evil or thoughtlessly fall into bad company. And these people who only do wrong— don't let them lure me with their sweet talk! May the Just One set me straight, may the Kind One correct me, Don't let sin anoint my head. I'm praying hard against their evil ways! Oh, let their leaders be pushed off a high rock cliff; make them face the music. Like a rock pulverized by a maul, let their bones be scattered at the gates of hell.

Whether you like the concept or not we’re all in this together and our actions will and do affect those around you. Choose to affect them for good. Because accidentally spitting on a friends face may make for a funny story, I’m sure if the friend knew the truth he wouldn’t think it was nearly as comical.