Question- What do each of the following have in common: television shows, alcohol, worldly books, and cyanide? Answer- They are all forms of poison. Poison is defined as “a substance that is capable of causing the illness or death of a living organism when introduced or absorbed.” You might be saying, “Whoa, now, my favorite TV show is not that bad! It is not making me sick or killing me.” The term “not that bad” is interesting in that it suggests a scale or gradation, in this case implying that some poisons are more or less poisonous than others. People tend to “grade” poisons based on their presentation and “taste”. For example, if I told you that I drank a couple margaritas, you may remain unfazed. However, if I told you I just had 2 shots of tequila, you may raise your eyebrows and wonder if I am ok. Why? Well, though they are of the same alcohol base, the shot has no sugar in it and is not served in a pretty glass, therefore it is viewed as more poisonous. The same can be said of TV shows, movies, and books; some are subtler in their attacks against the Lord and, therefore, easier to swallow..

We should all take some time with this and make it personal. Consider your favorite TV show or the book you are currently reading. On what are the story lines and jokes based? Are they righteous topics or “subtle poison” we have chosen to overlook, such as pre/extramarital sex, lying, gossiping, cheating, murder, etc. Do we justify them because they are unfortunately a part of everyday life? Why do we wait until we perceive a so-called direct attack against Jesus Christ and the Church before giving them up? Why do we tolerate such evil for so long? Why do we continue to ingest poison? Well, the subtle attacks are made palatable by the world and our flesh loves to justify that which gratifies itself. However, the truth is that all poison is poison, regardless of its taste, smell, or presentation. Even Satan, poison incarnate, can make himself appear nonlethal.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

So, you see, it is not accurate to describe any poison as “not that bad”. If it is not from God, it is from the world and-

1 John 5:19 “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” 

You may now be thinking, “Well, everything is ok in moderation”. I wonder, though, is this really a true statement when it comes to poison? If I told you I was ingesting a small amount of cyanide each day and then used that phrase as my justification, what would you think? You would probably shake your head and want to ask me why I was doing something that I knew would result in sickness and death. You may even wonder if I have a death wish, all because the poison I was ingesting was neither tasty nor attractive.

Our objectives in this life should include avoiding sin, all sin, at any cost. King Solomon warned his sons about the adulterous woman in the following verses:

Proverbs 5:7-8 “And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house”

We can apply this wisdom to our own lives by personifying the woman as sin, itself. When we dine on what the world serves, we are willingly poisoning ourselves and, therefore, willfully sinning.

James 4:17 “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”

We are to endeavor, instead, to be fed by the Word of God vs the world. It is the only pure food, free from poison, and guaranteed to result in life not death.

John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

Will we ever do this perfectly? No, of course not. We should, however, stop planning, preparing, and eating meals that are full of the world’s poison!

Another thing to consider, when we willingly consume the evil of the world, we open ourselves up to become “partakers” of evil (Ephesians 5:7) and are, by default, “giving approval” to the rebellion and hostility of the world towards the Lord (Romans 1:32).

P.S. For encouragement sake:

Psalm 103:8-14 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.”