Women in the Word Wednesday: Sensitivity to Sin

My oldest has an extreme sensitivity to hair on his skin.  Haircuts are quite an ordeal.  We cut his hair at home with the TV distracting him.  He is old enough that he tries to keep his tears under control, but it is hard for him.  After the haircut, he has an immediate bath, and then we transfer him from the bath to the shower to scrub and wash off any stray hairs the bath missed.  We towel him off well, followed by lotion to soothe his skin, which indeed has little red bumps of irritation blanketing it from the short exposure to hairs during the haircut.  After lotion, we end with a good dusting of baby powder, brushing off any stubborn stray hairs that escaped the rest of the process.

If that weren't thorough enough, he refuses a hair cape during the haircut, so he wears onek of his larger T-shirts during the haircut.  After each haircut, I wash the shirt a couple of times and then stick it in the back of his closet.  If for some reason we accidentally pull out a "haircut" shirt for him to wear to bed, he tells me within thirty seconds that his shirt is "itchy" without even realizing it was indeed used during his last haircut.

Today was haircut day, and I thought again about how extremely sensitive he is to hair on his skin.  During my quiet time, I thought of that analogy with our sin.  When we are seeking God's will, praying, meditating on scripture, regularly reading His Word, and really seeking please God, we are sensitive to sin--we can be as sensitive to it as my son is to his haircuts.  We immediately regret impatient thoughts or wince at resentment that we might allow to creep into our heart.  The slightest sin can irritate us and get our attention.  We stay away from situations that tempt us to sin the way my son steers clear of even the shirts from his haircuts. The Holy Spirit steers us away from unrighteousness as we seek to listen to Him and do His will.

When we are neglecting quiet time, enveloping all our time with worldly distractions, and trying to tiptoe into gray areas and slippery slopes with which we feel conviction, we dull our sensitivity to sin.  We get spiritually lazy.  We get too comfortable with sins such as unkind words, laziness, lack of contentedness, selfish thoughts, or prideful behavior. 

We have to put on our spiritual armor each day and use the tools God gives us to fight our flesh.  Sin shouldn't feel comfortable to a Christian woman.  It should cause us much uncomfort and irritation.

I pray that I can rely on God, pursue holiness and be as spiritually sensitive to sin as my little buddy is to his haircuts.

Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance,"