Sin: What We See; What We Get
Written by Brian Jennings, Posted in Blog
There’s a reason I asked my uncle to take a picture of the outside of a nasty-looking “men’s spa.” It has to do with sin. Not his. Mankind’s.
The Devil is cunning enough to trick us into believing that sin looks glamorous, wonderful, thrilling. Sin can look like this:
It’s all a trick. David’s affair with Bathsheba (II Samuel 11) looked wonderful to him at first, but then it all came crashing down. Such is the path of sin. The further you go, the uglier it gets.
My wife and I recently drove by, as an overweight, surely-unshowered truck driver sauntered into the establishment. We talked about how grossed-out we were. I don’t want my kids to be grossed-out by people, but I do pray they have a similar response to anything that leads them away from the beauty God desires in their lives. When they see sin, I pray they see it as it is – looking like the decaying building my uncle so kindly photographed for me.
(Note: John Mouton is a skilled photographer, but the gruff guys staring him down forced him to compromise his artistic ability, and settle for a quick, cell phone pic. I’m glad you avoided trouble, John.)
Sin, sexual or other, is presented in enticing forms: Dishonesty looks like it will bolster your reputation. Gambling looks like it will win back your losses. Laziness looks like it won’t hurt anyone else. A few more drinks look harmless.
“Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder” (Proverbs 23:31-32, ESV).
Again and again, God’s Word proves right. Are you playing loose with His truth, or do you trust Him more than your own perception?
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