Impact

A footnote in the global news was a gruesome reminder of how dangerous the world we live in is.  An experience caretaker of lions, for reasons unknown, decided to go into a cage of nine lions to deliver their meal.  Nobody was there to witness his decision.  The legacy of that decision is a harsh example of what can happen – nothing except a licked cleaned skull and a piece of his vertebrae. 
It is easy to be careless in life.  Boundaries blur, emotions fray, and life overwhelms.  In the midst of it all, careless decisions can be taken that have life threatening consequences.  The list of what can touch your soul and mine is endless; from what goes into our bodies and in our minds to the relationships in our lives.  Divinity's warning on one subject applies equally to anything that touches our hearts and minds.  “'I hate divorce,' says the God of Israel.  God-of-the-Angel-Armies says, 'I hate the violent dismembering of the 'one flesh' of marriage.'  So watch yourselves.  Don't let your guard down.  Don't cheat.”  (Malachi 2.16)
There is so much that impacts our lives.  As dangerous as the world is, avoiding dangerous areas will never keep one safe.  Beating one's self into submission is not the answer.  Even exercising firm love on one's soul is not the answer.  God's model is something different.  It is greater, better, and truly life changing.
God loves us from the inside out.  God passionately focuses Divinity's attention on what is good, nothing else.  God's judgment is swift, direct, and ruthless, and it does not consume much time.  Time is spent nurturing, reaching out, and drawing you and me back to arms of compassion, mercy, and acceptance.
Avoiding danger is never enough, our souls depend on the ways we fill it with goodness, soothe it with kindness, and feed it with truth.  As these elements penetrate and dominate our life, there is a mysterious change that begins from the deepest part of our souls. When we touch God with a sincere spirit of reception, God touches us.