“But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.” – Psalms 106: 35-38
As a house is built, life is constructed. Every choice, every decision, adding to the foundation; shaping, molding, and defining who we are. Slowly we are building the character of ourselves and leaving behind a pattern of choices testifying to that character. As “mature” adults some would like to think that the adult world and the child world are segregated. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Wrong. The sinful lifestyle you choose to live cannot be segregated from those around you, children included. In fact, when one “mingles among the heathen, and learns their works.” They are unintentionally offering up their sons and daughters to devils. They are sacrificing their children to the idols of the world.
Of all the things we think we own (cars, homes, clothes, health, etc.), we in fact do not own them at all. Of the things people wish to ignore (consequences, choices, responsibility, eternity) we are guaranteed to face in the end; and at the end it is all God’s. When we die all our stuff is going to someone else and the only thing that will matter is what we have chosen to do with our lives. Have we chosen to serve God or ourselves? The devil would tempt us to believe that a man is an island unto himself, and the sinful choices of life remain nested in his life. A life he can manage and consequences he can embrace or at least endure. Yet, the price of sin is further than your own life, it infiltrates the lives of your children. As a preacher once said: “if you send your kids to Caesar's household, don’t be surprised when they come back Romans.” The devil has found a way to infiltrate our homes, so we don’t send them away to Caesar anymore, we bring Ceasar into our homes. We invite the world in, and the cost of our indulgence isn’t always realized at face value. How careful we ought to be in word, conversation, and deed. For we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ! So, not only do our choices affect ourselves, and those around us, but they are the very representation of Jesus Christ.
The life you lead will lead others, either too good or too evil. Closer to Christ or further from Him. Let us consider our ways, not just for our own sake, but for those coming behind us. When you (speaking to those in the faith as well) mingle among the world and learn their works, chase after what they chase after, long for what they long for, and serve their idols (and there are many). It will be a snare unto you, and you will be sacrificing not only your own spiritual well-being, but the spiritual well-being of your children. Are the things in this world worth it?
