Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
Many who are old enough will remember the TV series Hill Street Blues. I didn't watch it much but I do remember one line that was repeated often (and probably I every episode). Immediately before sending the men into the streets, Sergeant Phil Esterhaus would say, “And hey! Hey, let's be careful out there, okay?” It was a daily reminder that even though the men and women carried badges and guns, there were dangerous people in the streets.
Peter tells us that our enemy the devil is on the prowl as well, waiting and encouraging us to slip up. A sharp tongue. A gossip tongue. The little white lie. The bold-faced lie. The dark humor. The anger within. The selfishness. The lust of the eyes. The greed. The list never ends.
Scripture also admonishes us to “resist him, standing firm in the faith.” I can draw comfort from that because we have a way out when we recognize that “sin is crouching at our door.”
“So, hey, hey! Let's be careful out there today.”