Never Underestimate the Dangers of a Bad Environment

Never Underestimate the Dangers of a Bad Environment

Still from the previous weekend's conference...

The truth of the matter is that we are now living in a dangerous world. It is a world filled with beliefs and practices that are so opposed to the values and virtues we want to uphold as Christians. It is important, more than ever, that we stay close to our communities/family who can support us and encourage us to live holy lives. While it is possible to remain righteous in a bad environment, we can never underestimate its dangers nor the effects it can have on our children and families.

An example given was Lot, Abraham's nephew.

At the start, while Abraham and Lot were together, they prospered. They prospered, in fact, that there were quarreling between their men and they decided to part ways(Genesis 13). Lot chose to settle by the plains of Sodom - not quite in the city, just outside, on the outskirts. The next we hear of Lot (Genesis 19), he is now living in Sodom. And we all know the doom Sodom suffered because of the evilness of this town. But Lot was spared because he was a righteous man. So it is possible to remain righteous. The thing is, though he was spared, he was not able to save his whole family. His sons-in-law scoffed at his warnings and stayed. His wife fled with him yet turned around and looked back and consequently turned into a pillar of salt.

I don't know about you but that is one sad story - a story I do not want as my own. I don't mean to sound ominous or preachy or anything - just sharing with you something that really struck a chord with me.

It is impossible not to live IN this world but it is of greatest importance not to BE of this world.