If you toss a pebble into a pond, what happens? Ripples begin to travel away from the center.

The pebble did not just disturb the water when it hit the surface, but it kept on disturbing the water, because of the ripples it created. Our choices are like that.

While we think our choices impact just us, they actually affect many more around us. Our choices have a ripple effect. Just the same, ignoring the warnings about our choice to rebel against God’s brilliant plan for each of our lives is never simply self-contained, but it ripples out in growing rings of disturbance.

We can usually only see the impact and maybe the first ring. But if we could get above the pond, we’d see it’s bigger effects.

Also, if we could see this world from God’s perspective, we’d be able to see how disturbing just one sin is.

Remember, sin ALWAYS has a ripple effect! There are no exceptions. Just like a pebble thrown into a pond will always produce ripples, so will one sin always produce ripples of impact.

God looks down on this little “pond” called earth. He sees a 25 year old on his computer looking at porn. Splash. “Oh, this is just one small pebble, what harm can it do?”

Then come the ripples.

Next God sees the company who produced the website getting wealthier. God sees the porn industry getting stronger. God sees the demand increasing and the power growing.

The ripples go out further and farther.

Then somewhere in another part of the world, God sees a young girl captured at night and sold into slavery.

Victims are trafficked for the production of more porn.

Put another way, all porn is the advertising for human trafficking.

Yes, one sin has a ripple effect that goes beyond the initial impact. The attitude, “Why can’t I do what I want? It’s not hurting anybody,” is a fairy tale of denial of the highest level — or lowest.

The ripple effects of our sin are seen in other areas, as well, not just in pornography.

Lying, gossip, anger, disrespect, defiance, materialism, bitterness, greed. All of these pebbles create ripples that flow out to the far reaches of the planet.

The sin I harbor in the privacy of my mind will inevitably wash up on the shore somewhere else in the world.

All sin is disturbing.

I realize this post is very sobering. But we have to stop throwing pebbles. You’ll be tempted to say, “The damage is already done! I can’t do anything to change it!”

Yes you can.

You can stop throwing pebbles. You can stop sinning.

Learn to fight sin at the point of impact. In other words, find the center ring.

Often, we try to fight sin at an outer ring. Trace the rings to the center so you can find the source of the disturbance. Get rid of the first sin and you’ll get rid of all the rings that follow.

God can heal your life.

Even the ripples caused by a huge rock will eventually grow calm. Just the same, God will give grace and mercy to you to heal your life, no matter how much damage you’ve done.

There is no sin that he can’t forgive and heal, as long as it’s brought to him and placed in his hands.

This is not the free opportunity to keep throwing rocks; but it’s a command to keep handing them over to Jesus Christ.

“God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong,” 1 John 1:9.

 

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.

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