In our neighbor's backyard there are many pine trees.
I don't particularly care for them. Mostly because pine needles kill grass.
They have this one branch that overhangs my fence. I tried to just pull it down once, but no luck! That branch was way too strong for me.
Then, last winter we had a storm that covered the branch with ice. It cracked and still hangs, but even now, half broken, I cannot snap it off.
I don't have the strength to snap off one branch, let alone uproot that tree and toss it.
Yet yesterday, while mowing the lawn, I noticed a little pine tree sapling growing in my yard, close to my house. I pulled it up, roots and all, and tossed it with almost no effort.
As I went about mowing, I thought about how, if I let that tree grow, it would soon be big enough to cause damage. The root could easily work itself into the foundation of my house, branches scraping and busting windows. If I waited that long, I would have a huge problem on my hands, and a lot of damage to clean up afterwards.
That's why it's best to pull those things up, roots and all, when they are small.
Sin is a lot like that. If we don't deal with the "small compromises" right away, they will soon take root and grow.
James tells us, "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." James 1:13-15 (NIV)
If something comes to mind while reading this blog, rip it out of your life now, you'll save a lot of trouble further down the line.
