Owners of the Vdara hotel in Las Vegas are confronting a serious problem. The south-facing side of their building is both concave and covered with energy efficient window glass designed to reflect the sun’s heat and keep temperatures down inside the hotel. Problem is that the rays reflected from the windows arc across the pool area outside in what has been dubbed a “death ray” with temperatures hot enough to melt plastic bags, wither plastic cups and of course, burn people.

Actually, the designers had foreseen this problem and thought they had it covered (no pun intended) with a high-tech film that was installed on the windows. It didn’t work as well as they thought and now they are scrambling to find a fix.

This kind of thing seems to happen a lot in life. A danger is noted, but rather than avoid it completely by going in a different direction, ways are sought to dabble in the danger without getting burned (oh boy, another unintended pun).

Beverage alcohol comes to mind. Oh I know, here we go. The preacher is meddling again. Ok, call me crazy, but I fail to see any great amount of good done by the stuff. Conversely, I see a great deal of harm that has come from its use, and the harm is not at all limited to those who indulge.

Solomon’s wisdom especially warns us of its potential harm:

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.

Proverbs 20:1

Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things. And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. “They struck me, but I did not become ill; they beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”

Proverbs 23:31-35

How about sexual sin? Many seem to believe as quoted in the lines of an old song,

“If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right” . Hear Solomon again:

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light’ and reproofs for discipline are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids. For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Or can he walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? Proverbs 6:23-28

There are plenty of “bad designs” in life. Above are just a couple of examples. Stick with the most Godly designs you know. That way, you really won’t……. get burned.