The Wrong Perfume! 

“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
2 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV) 

My dogs love their daily walk. But what they love even more while we are out is to come across some fox dirt! They roll in it with great gusto and pride, then walk home with their heads held high as if they were covered in some expensive perfume. It only happens occasionally but it must be a national problem because any pet shop will sell you some special Fox poo shampoo. Cleaning them up when we get home is not the nicest job but it has to be done.

There is a lesson here for us as Christians. As the scripture above says, we should not entangle ourselves with the affairs of this world, but it is incredibly hard not too. Just as my dogs are enticed by fox poo and gleefully roll in it, how often do we get involved in things which you might say are its equivalent in this world?

We are bombarded with wrong values on TV and in Films, to say nothing of the foul language which seems to be integral to entertainment today. As a nation we have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Europe. Alcohol consumption has soared in the last 30 years and public drunkenness seems no longer to cause any shame. We have, it seems, an ever-widening cesspool of child sexual abuse going back many years and internet pornography is damaging the attitudes of the new young generation. More people either not getting married and breaking up, or having affairs and taking no responsibility for the children who suffer as a result. People in public office or company directors who take huge rewards but never accept the blame for poor performance.

How easily are we seduced into accepting the wrong values of this world? Are we still shocked by it all or do we drift along with the tide of this world’s “Fox Poo,” thinking it is perfume?

Thank God that our loving Saviour, our High Priest, Jesus Christ, cleans us up with the spiritual shampoo of his righteousness and in his love removes our sin and clothes us with the rich garments spoken of in Zechariah 3:1-9. 

Prayer
Loving Father, how easy it is for us to drift along and accept the false values of this world. Through Christ give us a clear vision and a burning desire to follow your true values which benefit us now and throughout  eternity.
Amen 

Study by Keith Hartrick

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About the Author:
Keith Hartrick is an Elder in Grace Communion Church – Leeds, and serves on the Church Council there.

Local Congregation:
Grace Communion – Leeds
Garden Village Welfare Association
Community Centre
Pendas Way
LEEDS
LS15 8LE

Meeting Time:
Saturday 2PM

Local Congregational Contact:
Malcolm Arnold
Phone: 01484-312347
Email: malcolm.john.arnold@ntlworld.com