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Growing Callused to Evil

By Greg Gwin

It is easy to tell if someone is experienced with hard physical labor. A simple look at their hands will show it. Those who work at such tasks develop thick calluses from the repeated exposure to their work environment. The things that once irritated them and produced sore blisters now no longer hurt them. They have grown accustomed to these abrasives, their bodies have adjusted to them, and there is no more adverse reaction.

Sadly, too many Christians have developed a kind of spiritual callousness to the wicked world we live in. We are constantly bombarded by evil of every kind. We see it in person, we read about it, we view it on television, we hear it on the radio. We have unlimited access to it via the Internet and other media. Our neighbors are involved in it. Officials in high office are engaged in it.

Initially all of this evil irritates us. We are upset and disgusted by it. But gradually, by long exposure to these things, we become hardened. We've grown accustomed to the evil, and it no longer bothers us. We have adjusted to it all and there is no more adverse reaction. We can view the immorality and not be shocked by it. We can hear of the perverted deeds and not be repulsed. We are "street-wise." We know about illicit sex, drug abuse, and every sort of wickedness. We talk about them with ease. We have become callused.

The Lord does not want us to be this way. He desires us to live "in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom" (2 Cor. 1:12). He urges us to "be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil" (Rom. 16:19). He commands us to think on things that are "pure, lovely, and of good report" (Phil 4:8). Christian, are you keeping yourself "unspotted from the world?" (James 1:27) 

  Other Articles by Greg Gwin
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How Can I Know Who Is Right?