“A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church].” (Galatians 5:9 The Amplified Bible)
A member of our Thursday Bible Study provided some wisdom as we talked about the influence of the wicked and the decline of the faithful. We looked at some reliable research data, relevant scriptures, and we shared our real observations regarding people and the church. But this member, he made a statement that stuck out about how wickedness spreads, using the analogy of how the rust in a pinhole starts small, but becomes bigger.
His analogy made me think of a personal experience that I had not too many years ago. I had one of those vehicles that draw the attention of everyone who needs to move something or transport a purchase bigger than a car. Yes, I had a truck! I never took it for oil changes or lubrications because my mileage was so low on an annual basis. On top of that, as a result of putting bags of rock salt in the rear during the winter months to keep from sliding, the drive shaft started rusting. The spreading of the rust was happening without me knowing that important parts and mechanisms on the truck were deteriorating. Others saw it, but not me. As a matter of fact, one day, as I was starting my car, ready to leave a nearby store parking lot, the driver next to me heard my car, looked underneath, as I surmised based on his eyes. Then he looked at me, perhaps to signal that I needed to take care of “something” before it got worse. Well, I didn’t get the non-verbal communication. I did not see the danger that was ahead. About four to six weeks after that encounter, I was on my way to the interstate that circles the city to go to the northside to shop at the anchor store of a nationwide chain. While I was stopping at a stoplight less than a mile away from home, the rusted drive shaft just fell, and the car would not move. Just think! If this would have happened after I had got to the fast-moving highway, I would probably not be here today. The rust the side of a pinhole starts small but becomes bigger.
There are the voices of the righteous and the voices of the wicked in our world. When we ignore the voices of the righteous, and listen to even a little, enticing voice of the wicked, sin starts small, perhaps only as a thought, but it spreads quickly, leading to more sin. The negative impact does not end with us, when we ignore the voices of the righteous and insist on leaning toward the voices of the wicked, others are affected. Yes, our sins, and all sin is just sin, all sin can impact the lives of other righteous people who look up to us, as well as those who we are supposed to be witnessing to so that they will look to the one that save them.
My friend don’t forget the opening verse! Don’t forget the analogy of the astute student in Bible Study! Don’t apathetically respond to the application of my personal “truck experience!” Don’t do any of these things when you are confronted by the multiple voices of wickedness in this degenerating time. Don’t let our faith and your actions based on your faith disappear.
On top of remembering the opening verse, refer to and when necessary, refer to the verse below. Be like David and cry out to the Lord to intervene in the falling away of the godly from Him and His church. Have a super Saturday. Be blessed!
“Help, Lord, for the godly person has come to an end,
for the faithful have disappeared from the sons of mankind.” (Psalm 12:1 NASB)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King