Good Practice

No one likes to be ignored, but sometimes it is an otherwise "kind" response.  One of Mr Bill's favorite activities when the boys were young was to "light-up" Mama.  It usually happened at the dinner tableand although I tried very hard, sometimes he could not be ignored.  The boys still laugh about Mama hurling a biscuit at Daddy!

The Amish have a practice called “shunning,” which uses social exclusion as a method used to enforce Amish church rules.  This has often been viewed as unfair and harsh.  While I am neither advocating nor denouncing this practice, to shun or turn away from sin is as Biblical as it gets!  James 1:27 tells us to “keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  How does one live in the world yet avoid its contaminating influence?  “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.” (Psalm 119:9).  Satan is relentless in his efforts to distract and lead me away from God’s way, causing me to stumble in my decisions, choices, speech, and behavior.  Oh, does he ever know exactly what to dangle before me.  Even the most wonderful blessed things of life often become snares for my heart and mind. Paul encouraged Believers to "hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil ... may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless ..." (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22).  Do not ignore sin -- no, be alert to its threats and trappings and shun it at every occasion and turn.  Shunning sin is good practice!