I am sure if you have been a dog owner you have encountered the problem of seedpods or burrs entangling themselves in your dog’s coat.
Hamish is an English cocker spaniel and they love undergrowth – being bird dogs. He is in undergrowth every day, but somehow the other day, managed to find the one that had seedpods over it. They were small dark and round but manage to stick and get caught in his long coat, causing mats in the very short time he had them.
In the hour that I got over 30 out, patiently taking my time so as not to pull on his coat, it struck me that that is what Hebrews 12:1 was talking about. How sin entangles so quickly and easily in our lives.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Day 30 we weren’t talking about sin stopping us in our walk/race but today we will, following on from our last talk.
Sometimes it’s deliberate acts of rebellion and sin on our part. It can start out small like a lie “oh I love your new outfit” but can easily and quickly spin into something bigger and you are entangled in it. “Here you loved it so much I bought you the top” and you now have to wear something you hate. Even though this seems like a small sin, we can easily think of other sins that have entangled us in the past or might still be entangling us. And loved ones end up being entangled too; infidelity is a perfect example of this.
It doesn’t just affect us, as the bible verse shows us. It’s everyone else watching - being witness to our life witness as Christians. We can be stumbling blocks to others coming to know Christ because of sin in our lives!
The verse also talks about throwing off everything that hinders, not just sin. Is there something in your life that isn’t helpful in your walk with God?
It’s not sin but if it isn’t helping then it’s a hindrance. It can be how you view different subjects and then share with others or things that take up your time.
Then there is the sin that we unwittingly get tangled up in. I think gossip is a great example
(I am only using it as an example it can be loads of other things.) We can get caught up in it while not being part of it. You don’t need to sit down with the office or church gossip (and there is always more than one!) to get entangled by it.
You could be walking to the elevator/lift and unintentionally overhear a gossip conversation. Then the next time you meet the person who was the subject of that gossip, and in the back of your mind you wonder if it is true and try hard not to let it affect your assessment of them.
Do you talk about your friends with others?
It might start out positive but it only takes one eye roll or what you don’t say, that the other person can then get an idea about them and they have never met them!
I have learned the hard way, which is why in recent years I try and have a personal rule that I don’t talk about friends with other friends even in a non gossip way. Unless it is an amazing testimony and I am singing their praises about what God has done in their lives (and I have permission to do so!)
If there is someone you know, who always seem to know what is going on with everyone and shares it, avoid them! Don’t sit down for coffee with them.
“A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don't hang around with chatterers.” Proverbs 20:19
Hamish hates allowing me to take out those seedpods as they hurt him. Sin hurts us so much, even if we don’t see it at the time it entangles us so quickly. And the consequences of it can be far reaching and really hurt us.
Just as I am learning where and what undergrowth has these seedpods so I can avoid them and learn from it: So “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” not just for our sakes, as we know it hurts us and our walk with God, but for all those eyes that are watching us.
Hamish is an English cocker spaniel and they love undergrowth – being bird dogs. He is in undergrowth every day, but somehow the other day, managed to find the one that had seedpods over it. They were small dark and round but manage to stick and get caught in his long coat, causing mats in the very short time he had them.
In the hour that I got over 30 out, patiently taking my time so as not to pull on his coat, it struck me that that is what Hebrews 12:1 was talking about. How sin entangles so quickly and easily in our lives.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Day 30 we weren’t talking about sin stopping us in our walk/race but today we will, following on from our last talk.
Sometimes it’s deliberate acts of rebellion and sin on our part. It can start out small like a lie “oh I love your new outfit” but can easily and quickly spin into something bigger and you are entangled in it. “Here you loved it so much I bought you the top” and you now have to wear something you hate. Even though this seems like a small sin, we can easily think of other sins that have entangled us in the past or might still be entangling us. And loved ones end up being entangled too; infidelity is a perfect example of this.
It doesn’t just affect us, as the bible verse shows us. It’s everyone else watching - being witness to our life witness as Christians. We can be stumbling blocks to others coming to know Christ because of sin in our lives!
The verse also talks about throwing off everything that hinders, not just sin. Is there something in your life that isn’t helpful in your walk with God?
It’s not sin but if it isn’t helping then it’s a hindrance. It can be how you view different subjects and then share with others or things that take up your time.
Then there is the sin that we unwittingly get tangled up in. I think gossip is a great example
(I am only using it as an example it can be loads of other things.) We can get caught up in it while not being part of it. You don’t need to sit down with the office or church gossip (and there is always more than one!) to get entangled by it.
You could be walking to the elevator/lift and unintentionally overhear a gossip conversation. Then the next time you meet the person who was the subject of that gossip, and in the back of your mind you wonder if it is true and try hard not to let it affect your assessment of them.
Do you talk about your friends with others?
It might start out positive but it only takes one eye roll or what you don’t say, that the other person can then get an idea about them and they have never met them!
I have learned the hard way, which is why in recent years I try and have a personal rule that I don’t talk about friends with other friends even in a non gossip way. Unless it is an amazing testimony and I am singing their praises about what God has done in their lives (and I have permission to do so!)
If there is someone you know, who always seem to know what is going on with everyone and shares it, avoid them! Don’t sit down for coffee with them.
“A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don't hang around with chatterers.” Proverbs 20:19
Hamish hates allowing me to take out those seedpods as they hurt him. Sin hurts us so much, even if we don’t see it at the time it entangles us so quickly. And the consequences of it can be far reaching and really hurt us.
Just as I am learning where and what undergrowth has these seedpods so I can avoid them and learn from it: So “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” not just for our sakes, as we know it hurts us and our walk with God, but for all those eyes that are watching us.
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