My grandson, Gregory, was visiting from England. As we were getting into the car, he was side tracked by a caterpillar crawling along the sidewalk. Fascinated by the worm, he called me to come and look. I told him he should stomp on it with his foot! Horrified, he declared that such an action was not only senseless but CRUEL!
Taking him by the hand, I led him to a tree growing by the walk. Showing him the leaves where some caterpillars had already been feasting, I explained to him that even though the cute little caterpillar looked harmless, it was in reality, a killer. I showed him how the ‘harmless worms’ were slowly eating all the leaves on the young tree and would, if not stopped, do serious harm, even killing the tree.
Horrified, Gregory stood looking from the wiggly worm to the damaged leaves. Abruptly, with as much fury and force as his little 8 year old self could call forth, he began stomping the caterpillar saying, “It must die then! It MUST die NOW before it ruins everything!”
Gregory’s change of heart and determination to kill the worm reminded me of how we should react to sin. Sin doesn’t always look bad or dangerous. Many times, sin looks inviting and harmless, even fun. When we allow sin, in any form, to enter our lives, we open our hearts to destruction and death.
No matter how innocent or pleasurable sin looks, the minute the Holy Spirit whispers to our heart that we are toying with danger, we should rise up in the power of Christ and destroy the sin, NOW.
Learn to listen to the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit and do not give sin any time or part in your life, even if the sin looks harmless, it is deadly. Like little Gregory said, “It must die then! It MUST die NOW before it ruins everything!”
Scripture reference:
II Corinthians, 11;14-15 And no wonder, for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.-
Prayer:
Father, God, help me to be sensitive to the voice of your Holy Spirit, give me discernment. I want to recognize evil even when it looks pretty and cute. Amen.