Remember the warning as a child that telling a lie will lead to a bigger lie? When we tell a little lie, we often have to tell another and another to cover up that original lie so the truth doesn’t come out. I’ve started to notice lately that other areas of our lives seem to be like that, too.
For example, if I choose to stay up late and watch “just one more” episode on Netflix then in the morning I am tired and hit the snooze button one too many times. So not only am I not getting up to read my Bible and pray, which just helps me start my day right, then I am also usually running behind. Then I get snappy with my husband and frustrated with my kids for being late. If they don’t get their coats on fast enough, I start chewing them out. Then, I have to speed to get the kids to school on time. If it’s a particularly bad day, I may even yell at the stop light that had the audacity to turn red on me. One bad choice often leads to another bad choice.
I think sin tends to get easier the more we do it, too.
Have you ever let a cuss word slip out? You might feel bad the first time you do it, but the second time it might feel just a little easier to say and soon you find it has become part of your regular vocabulary, and it is hard not to say it.
Maybe yelling at your kids or your spouse seemed unthinkable, but that one time they just pushed you over the edge and you yelled. And now that you’ve done it once, you find yourself doing it more often.
Perhaps you giggled at your married co-workers joke and since no one got hurt, you figure nothing bad would happen if you start texting each other. His wife hasn’t noticed, so what would the problem be if you met for coffee once in a while?
I think we tend to think, “It’s just this one little thing, this one little time.” But the reality of it is, once we let one sin in, more sin tends to creep in. In the book of James we read, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, not does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away be his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
As we seek God and God’s desires for our lives, we will be less likely to give in to those temptations and follow sin toward death. God’s desires for us are good and will lead to good things. When we focus on those desires in our lives it is easier to say no to the little sins and to be filled with life.
Christine is the Lead Pastor at ARK United Methodist Church, a church replant in North Sioux City, SD. She is also a Ministry Coach with MOPS Int’l, wife to Matthew, a foster and bio mom to 5 kids, and an aspiring chicken homesteader leaning on the grace and hope of God amidst life’s messes. You can connect with her on Instagram as cececappetta.
For example, if I choose to stay up late and watch “just one more” episode on Netflix then in the morning I am tired and hit the snooze button one too many times. So not only am I not getting up to read my Bible and pray, which just helps me start my day right, then I am also usually running behind. Then I get snappy with my husband and frustrated with my kids for being late. If they don’t get their coats on fast enough, I start chewing them out. Then, I have to speed to get the kids to school on time. If it’s a particularly bad day, I may even yell at the stop light that had the audacity to turn red on me. One bad choice often leads to another bad choice.
I think sin tends to get easier the more we do it, too.
Have you ever let a cuss word slip out? You might feel bad the first time you do it, but the second time it might feel just a little easier to say and soon you find it has become part of your regular vocabulary, and it is hard not to say it.
Maybe yelling at your kids or your spouse seemed unthinkable, but that one time they just pushed you over the edge and you yelled. And now that you’ve done it once, you find yourself doing it more often.
Perhaps you giggled at your married co-workers joke and since no one got hurt, you figure nothing bad would happen if you start texting each other. His wife hasn’t noticed, so what would the problem be if you met for coffee once in a while?
I think we tend to think, “It’s just this one little thing, this one little time.” But the reality of it is, once we let one sin in, more sin tends to creep in. In the book of James we read, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, not does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away be his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
As we seek God and God’s desires for our lives, we will be less likely to give in to those temptations and follow sin toward death. God’s desires for us are good and will lead to good things. When we focus on those desires in our lives it is easier to say no to the little sins and to be filled with life.
Christine is the Lead Pastor at ARK United Methodist Church, a church replant in North Sioux City, SD. She is also a Ministry Coach with MOPS Int’l, wife to Matthew, a foster and bio mom to 5 kids, and an aspiring chicken homesteader leaning on the grace and hope of God amidst life’s messes. You can connect with her on Instagram as cececappetta.
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