Living in Northern California, especially during a summertime drought, wildfires are a hot topic.

I recently picked up a brochure produced by CalFire [ReadyForWildfire.org] with the title Wildfire is Coming: Is your home ready?

The main theme of the pamphlet was developing defensible space around your home so if a fire comes, you have an improved chance of surviving with your property intact.

As I read through the helpful tips, I was struck by the wisdom of this sort of preparation in our spiritual lives and I asked myself if I am maintaining a defensible space against temptation to sin.

The brochure provided this Homeowner Checklist to prepare in advance for wildfire:

• Remove dead or dying plants with 30 ft. of your home
• Clear dead leaves or pine needles from roof and rain gutters
• Trim trees to provide at least 10 ft. between branches of those nearby
• Remove flammable plants and shrubs near windows
• Mow annual grass down to 4 inches or lower.
• Remove flammable items from around and under decks.

If we apply these steps to our spiritual lives we would

• try to maintain a safe distance from those who are spiritually dead or dying so they do not depress our own faith.
• clear away regrets about past sins by accepting God’s forgiveness, not allowing them to build up in the corners of our memory
• keep a recovery space between those things we recognize as triggers to temptations.
• remove those activities, people or items which tempt us away from God. Don’t have them nearby where we constantly see them.
• actively mow down those small things which can creep into our lives so they don’t sprout up and engulf us.
• clear out those hidden sins we tuck out of sight from others

While we don’t all live in drought stricken wildfire areas, we live today in a spiritually dry culture which tempts us to set aside our faith, go with the flow and risk being consumed by eternal flames.

Under the circumstances, maintaining a defensible space might be a good idea.