Growing Calloused to Evil

It is easy to tell if someone is experienced with hard physical labor. A simple look at their hands will show it. Those who work at such tasks develop thick, rough calluses from the repeated exposure to their work. The tasks and activities that once irritated their hands and feet and produced sore blisters now no longer hurt them, there is no more adverse reaction.

Sadly, too many Christians have developed a spiritual callousness to this world. We are bombarded by evil of every kind. We see it in person, we read about it, we view it on television, we hear it on radio. We have unlimited access to it via the Internet and other types of media. Our neighbors and friends are involved in it. High officials are engaged in it. Initially, all of this evil irritates us. We are upset and disgusted by it.

But gradually, we become hardened. We have grown accustomed to the evil, and it no longer bothers us. We can view the immorality and not be shocked by it. We talk about them with ease. We have become callused. The Lord does not want us to be this way. He desires us to live in holiness and godliness (2 Corinthians 1:12). He urges us to watch for what is good (Romans 16:19). He commands us to think on things that are pure and good (Philippians 4:8). The Christian who will truly set their mind on spiritual matters will not grow hardened toward sin because they will avoid sin.

According to James 1:27, part of “pure and undefiled religion” is keeping oneself “unspotted from the world.” Sometimes I wish we could all remain in pure naiveté, but we cannot. However, remaining uncalloused means obtaining a knowledge of what is in the world but making a conscious decision to remain apart from it’s enticements (Romans 12:2).

Kyle Campbell

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