"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation."

                                                                                                     Acts 17:26

     The principles in God's Word are founded upon time-honored values, which are intended to form the standard for our daily living. If we ignore them or try to change how we view them, then inch by inch, bit by bit, we will begin to compromise. That is why God establishes boundaries, so that we know what to expect in life and how life itself is to be lived.

     Everything within the scope of what we know and do has boundaries. Earth's land mass, our oceans and seas, times and seasons, day and night, highways and road systems, laws and regulations, seedtime and harvest, sports, even our own journey through life has boundaries. You cannot escape the idea. But knowing that everything has boundaries does not means that they are always going to be honored. There are certain things in life where boundaries are manipulated and changed, rules are sometimes altered and broken. Whatever the case may be, when this happens there are unmitigated consequences.

     Boundaries are meant to establish perimeters. For instance, a ship captain may begin maneuvering his ship to port. The channel he uses is marked with buoys. An educated captain knows that buoys are placed in specific areas to warn mariners of the boundaries for safe passage. There are unseen conditions of various proportions that can put a ship at risk. If a captain refuses to acknowledge these boundaries or buoys, then he not only risks the possibility of damaging his ship but also his cargo and crew. The Bible tells us it's "the little foxes that spoil the vine" (Song of Solomon 2:15). People are all the time trying to stretch the playing field in life. They want to establish their own boundaries instead of letting God's Word decide that for them. But what happens when you stretch the truth or tell a so-called "white" lie? Is it as harmless as some folks want to make it out to be? If you do not establish boundaries in life how are you going to determine what is right or wrong, good or bad, profitable or detrimental?

"The path of compromise has no regard for the principles of truth; no standard to adhere to; no creed or belief to embrace, and surely no integrity to uphold."

     One of the great benefits of having godly wisdom is that you gain a sense of discernment when it comes to boundaries. It is meant to help you develop a check and balance system. In other words, you discover the value of boundaries, and you are not out to try to change or adjust those boundaries to fit whatever lifestyle you decide you want to live. It doesn't matter what man may allow. When you operate in godly wisdom you become subject to a much higher principle to life than just men's thinking. For instance, good laws may be passed, but we don't obey good laws because they are good. We obey them because they are right! That should be the filtering system used in everything we do and say. How many of us realize that not everything in life that feels good is right! Paul even told us in the book of Hebrews, there is a pleasure to sin but it is only for a season. It may feel good to your flesh, but the boundaries to sin means that sooner or later it isn't going to feel good anymore. Why? Because sin carries judgment! It may cloak itself with feelings of fulfillment, but underneath those feelings are fixed laws that can only conceal the consequences until the boundary of time renders its verdict!

     Boundaries are actually meant to establish certain values that are important to you in life. You value your property. You value your relationships. You value your job. If you lack wisdom, then you lose the sense of any boundary concerning those values, and it will cost you down the road. It's like throwing the dice and hoping for a certain outcome. You can no more decide things in life by chance anymore than you hope to arrive at God's best without boundaries!

     Remember God's word paints the center line to the highway of life. Don't think you can cross that line without consequences. Nothing may be coming in that other lane momentarily, but you never know what lies behind the unexpected.*