Go Overboard
“Mama, get the hammer. There’s a fly on Grandpa’s head.” When I read that quote, shared by Tillie Cowherd, I laughed out loud. How perfectly it describes when we go overboard.
We may not realize how easily we go overboard until:
- We pay special attention to our actions
- Another person mentions our behavior to us
To go overboard on a boat or ship means to jump or fall into the water.
That may be okay if we:
- Can swim
- Land in safe water.
However, we risk our lives if we:
- Cannot swim
- Enter dangerous water
Figuratively, to go overboard means to go to extremes.
We fail to think before we act. Our enthusiasm exceeds our good sense. Therefore, we:
- Act highfalutin
- Spend more money than we can repay
- Tackle more responsibilities than we can complete
We go too far, and we usually suffer.
Enthusiasm can be good.
It helps us:
- Work hard
- Go the second mile
- Complete what we begin
However, we don’t want to get in over our heads.
Better to use wisdom than to suffer from extreme behavior.
Don’t kill a fly with a hammer … especially if the fly lands on grandpa’s head.
“Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes” (Ecclesiastes 7:18 NIV).
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