Whoever coined the phrase, ugly as sin, didn’t understand sin. It’s very attractive! Charles Tabb, from the novel, Gathering Twigs

Ken read this quote to me one day and I began to think about the truth it held. 

Have you ever really thought about what sin looks like? I don’t know about you, but I tend to see it as something ugly and vile, something so repulsive that I wouldn’t consider touching it. And in some cases, that would be true. Some evil is so blatantly obvious that it can’t be mistaken for anything but the sin it is.

In reality, most sin may as well be packaged up in fancy wrapping paper and enhanced by a glittering bow. It looks so good that ignoring it almost feels impossible. Sins can be tiny and we all tend to indulge sometimes, whether a little or a lot. When was the last time you engaged in a little neighborly chit-chat about all the other neighbors? When did you cross the street so as not to encounter someone you wanted to avoid? When did you let someone else take the blame for your mistake? Not a sin, you say, just a tiny indiscretion?

Under the right circumstances, you will do the wrong thing. You won’t want to. You’ll try not to, but you will. Why? You have a sin nature. You were born with it. We all are. Max Lucado, Because of Bethlehem

To the opposite extreme, some sins can become all-consuming. The shopping channels offer a never-ending array of glitter to choose from….and, after all, it just goes on the credit card. But what happens when the debt becomes suffocating? Or a friend offers a substance that will take away all your worries and make you feel great. Why not…it’s only this once and I really need a pick-me-up?

Sin finds its way to us in many shapes and colors. It travels toward us down wide avenues and narrow alleyways. It’s everywhere and almost always wears a very attractive and deceptive disguise. It likes to hide in dark places, often under cover of night. It creeps in when you least expect it and invariably finds you at your most vulnerable. And, in case you haven’t noticed, our culture is offering countless choices in very attractive packages.

 The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. Each one of us entered the world with a sin nature. God entered the world to take it away. Max Lucado, Because of Bethlehem

So, how do we, as God’s own children, protect ourselves from the very attractive lure of sin? Talk to Him, make our personal covenant with Him, study His Word, and examine our hearts. Focus on the blessings we have rather than the glitter that seems to be missing from our lives. All that glitters is certainly not gold and what good is gold anyway? Our real treasure is truly in heaven.