Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (NKJV).
I was thinking this morning about gas prices and how extremely ridiculous it had gotten at over $4.00 per gallon. It was crazy and knowing that it could rebound to that makes me sick. But in the process of coming down, do you remember the relief you felt as it hit the $3.00 mark. “Wow, it could be worse!” you may have thought. I know I thought it! And today, here in Kentucky it sits about $2.09 and I think “Thank you!“
I remember that on its way to where it is, I carried the news to my in-laws’ house that it had gotten to around $2.70. When I announced it, my mother-in-law said, “That’s not a bad price.” Now, don’t get me wrong! Compared to $4.00, $2.70 isn’t that bad. But compared to where it was a few years ago, it’s horrible.
Our family moved to Texas in 2004. When we moved, I believe the prices were somewhere around $1.50 per gallon. Now that’s not so bad, right! Will it get back there again? Who knows! I know that the difference in prices over the past months compared to then makes me sick.
So here’s the point: Sin is treated among us, just like the gas prices. We look at the exhorbitant costs of peak prices and we are sickened by it. Yet, we get happy with lower prices, even though they are still costly to us. You see, when it comes to sin, we scream and yell about murder, adultery, homosexuality, sexual perversion, etc. But when it comes to “lesser things” we are happy to sit and rest a while right in the middle of it all. Gossip, lying, drunkeness, apathy, slander, or any thing that doesn’t make us look bad is acceptable by our calloused hearts. Many church members would write off certain people living in the “top-tier” of sinfulness, while excusing the little things for fear of hurting feeling and running people off (losing members).
God’s call to His people is “By holy for I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:7; 1 Peter 1:16). Beware of wearing a callous heart. Let us surrender it under the Lordship of Christ in order that we may walk holy with Him and be presented clean before Him at His coming.
JB
