-To Close for Comfort-

Elizabeth’s Grandmother and Aunt came into town last weekend, and we had a great time eating, site-seeing, and soaking in the culture of New Orleans. Of course, one of the main things they wanted to do was see some of the devastation still prevalent in the ninth ward neighborhoods. Practically immune to that request from visitors, Elizabeth and I agreed to take them to see some of the worst hit areas.

As we drove up and down the desolate streets, it brought back a flood of memories and emotions from August 29, 2005. Even though I see the destruction everyday, I am suffering from Katrina fatigue, which basically means the destruction is such a normal part of my daily routine now, it goes almost unnoticed as I drive past it every day.




Is it really possible that I can get so used to seeing the destruction that I don’t even notice it anymore? Is it even thinkable that such a horrific and terrible thing in the past can be overlooked due to overexposure?

David warned us of this very thing in the book of Psalms.

In Psalm 1:1, David mentions we should not walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers.

Notice the progression:

Walking past something seems to be harmless, but when we begin to get used to the presence of sin, we’re in trouble. It’s sort of like a “look but don’t touch” attitude.

The next step is standing. Not only do we walk by, sometimes we stop and talk. It’s harmless right? Just try it one time. We become a little bit more comfortable with the surroundings, and with more exposure comes more acceptance.

Finally, we find ourselves so comfortable and immune to the presence of sin we are sitting among it and participating in it, without realizing that something is wrong. That’s how sin works: Satan will try to get you hooked a little bit at a time until you are so consumed by the desires of the flesh that you can hardly tell what’s right from wrong.

Don’t fall into the trap! Our only hope is to rely on Christ and keep our eyes focused on him as we navigate the waters of sin in the world every day.


-Read the rest of Psalm chapter 1. Note the imagery that David uses, and the ways the he suggests a person can avoid falling into the traps of sin.

1 Peter 5:8 - “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

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