Numb?

When my daughter was a toddler and became confident walking on her own, she moved at about 90 miles per hour. I tried to move equally fast to intercept her approaches to danger, but I was not always successful. Her racing ahead caused bumps, bruises, and bangs, so she became quite attached to her pink booboo bunny because its icy coolness numbed her aches and pains.

Now that my body aches from rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia, I have discovered that strategically placed ice packs numb some pain significantly. The ice tricks my brain, and my sensory receptors are desensitized and do not register all of the sore spots.

Unfortunately, I have also discovered that the world's teachings deaden my brain from registering all of God's truths. I become desensitized to minor sins, and suddenly I begin accepting the world's blatant sins in an attitude of tolerance. This cannot be pleasing to my perfect, holy Lord.

I see my generation and my daughter's generation obsessing over materialistic pursuits. I see family and friends seeking financial success and career apexes at the detriment of others. Beautiful young women, dissatisfied with how God created them, schedule extensive surgeries and Botox injections because their faces and bodies do not look like the most popular models and celebrities.

I see friends involving themselves in lascivious behaviors, trying to alleviate stress or emotional and physical pains with alcohol, medications, illegal substances, pornography, and inappropriate liaisons. My heart aches when I see them buying into the world's temporary ways.

These ways are intriguing, shrewd, and entertaining. Popular standards and liberal morals slowly seep into our lives, and suddenly we are not labeling sin according to God's plumb line. Unless we intentionally flood our minds and our lives with God's word and His character, we will find ourselves apathetic to sins, such as greed, envy, covetousness, lust, meddling, and gossiping, just to name a few.

Peter clearly tell us to be nonconformists, living as strangers here on this earth, not as numb participants in an empty way of life:

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:13-16

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God." 1 Peter 1:17-21

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us." 1 Peter 2:11-12

"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." 1 Peter 2:16

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the clear direction you have supplied for us. You do not want us to be followers and lovers of the pagan way of life - full of debauchery, lust, greed, and idolatry. You have called us out of numbness, and you want us to protect ourselves and our children from becoming desensitized to the sinful ways of this world. Help me, Lord, to enjoy your creation, enjoy your people, yet not become entrenched in a life you did not intend for me. Help me to quickly become aware of areas in my life that are not glorifying to you. I pray that you will help me work out my salvation, so I might be blameless when you come again. Amen.