No one likes to smell fish left in a hot car, on the beach, or in a trash can. They stink! Only people who cannot smell escape the fishy aroma.

Getting rid of that odor is almost impossible. We rub. We spray. We open doors and windows. We do everything we know to do, but the smell remains.

In much the same way, we sometimes face situations that don’t seem right. We may not know why, but the negative feeling won’t go away.

• A friend asks us to join an activity that makes us feel uneasy.
• Someone offers an opportunity that sounds too good to be true.
• We sense danger but can’t see why.

Those fishy situations disturb us for a reason. By trusting our instincts, we may avoid many future problems.

Flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11 NIV).