Not Everything is Beneficial

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.  1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)

Remember that fireworks collection we picked up in Alabama on vacation? The ones hidden underneath the backseat to “smuggle” them into Georgia and then, Florida. The big and noisy ones that go high in the air? What were we thinking? The huge pile of boxes containing every kind of firework you can image resting on my kitchen table is proof that we left our brains behind when we went on vacation. Youngest son was dying to get his hands on those fireworks. Last night was the first big official night to begin the display. My side of the family came over for dinner. We all sat around laughing and telling stories while waiting for it to get dark. The grandchildren set grandpa up with his own face book page. It was fun to hear them ask him questions for his profile as they teased him about his music choices and favorite television shows. We all really laughed when his favorite quote was, “Tim, stop that.” Tim is youngest son, and grandpa chose for his profile picture a photograph taken last year where he is pointing his finger at youngest son and youngest son just rolls his eyes. Unfortunately, about the time it got dark last night, a storm rolled in. We went out on my parent’s dock, but gale force winds and dark clouds looked like they were going to stop the show. In fact, when my dad got out of his chair, it blew into the water and youngest son had to make an impromptu dive off the dock to rescue the chair. They had trouble getting the light stick to burn, but after a trip up to the house and out of the wind, they were ready to go. The audience, with me being the loudest, kept shouting, “Don’t put your face over the launcher!” as from our vantage point, it looked like youngest son, firefighter and EMT extraordinaire, was peering directly down into the launch tube. He managed to get about a half dozen of the big fireworks and about a dozen bottle rockets in the air before we all grabbed our chairs and ran for the house. I was worried about the fireworks getting wet, but should have known that husband and youngest son would guard them. It looks like we still have enough left for another show tonight. If it ever stops raining. As much as I enjoy the fireworks, in the back of my mind is always the worry we will get arrested since ones of this size are illegal in our area. After watching youngest son mess with them, I know why. But what would the 4th of July be without a little civil disobedience? In Sunday School this morning, we talked about freedom in Christ and how we chose to limit our own freedoms so we won’t cause someone else to sin. I wonder if the Apostle Paul was thinking of teenage boys and fireworks when he wrote that scripture listed above?