The pit...

True loves kiss. That is all the beast needed to change him into the handsome prince...Her love was so powerful that all she had to do was prove it with a kiss. Yup. And not only would he live happily ever after, she gets a nice castle and a prince charming to go with it all. Not to mention servants that sing! Not bad work if you can get it. Malarkey. That is so what that is. Now don't take this as a statement over my man, please! He is full aware that he got no bargain in me. I pretty much knew that while I got me some good kissing power, it could not change any beastly characteristics he may have come with...not that he did come with any. Just clearing our names here. I mean all of this in general. Be it a spouse, a friend or even a child...we can love them with all the human or in the case above, enchanted love, a castle can hold...ya' can't pull somebody out of their pit. Pits are fiercely personal. They tend to be loved deeply. I have seen some rather well appointed pits in my time, and I gotta' tell ya', I am not sure I would want out my own self. The other thing about a pit that is worth knowing is that the language changes down in one. Simple truth becomes something the pit dweller can't even begin to understand. It makes the non-pit dweller sound like a crazy person standing on the edge of the pit offering a hand up. And that is place of danger for anyone who loves a pit dweller. You, or me for that matter, can't pull anyone out of their pit. Not our job. Talk about something that will ruin a relationship. I am not saying that we should help the pit dweller decorate or anything. And there may come a time when you have to remove your hand from the edge, less you get pulled into that pit too. "Brethren, and if a man be overtaken in any fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1) I use to think that verse was kind of silly. Like if I were helping the crack addict, I would become one. Not gonna' happen. But the truth is I've seen myself slip into my own pit next door for the hapless way I've tried to help someone get out there pit. Prayer. That is the only way to avoid the trap. It is the only way not to get sucked into your own pit of despair. When you have someone convinced that there is no way out, don't be surprised if you wind up falling into a pit yourself believing there is no way out. "Consider thyself" as the King James puts it. From what I can tell, avoiding sin is the only time the Word tells us to consider ourselves before someone else. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1Corinthians 10:13 NIV) Temptation isn't always about crack (or chocolate or facebook for that matter) but sometimes, a temptation is about your own ability to fall into a pit...and it may just be lovely, well appointed and comfortable. Everything may be just the way your remember it...sitting with Him is about the only way I know of to avoid the thing. If you have a relationship with a pit dweller and you start to hear a tea pot sing, you may want to run or get on your knees in prayer. Just sayin'.