The ancient city of Sardis stood high on a hill as an impregnable fortress.
When the invading Persian army besieged the city, it proved nearly impossible to approach. One day a soldier, while leaning out over the wall, dropped his helmet to the ground far below. Thinking nothing of retrieving his helmet, he left the confines of the city by a secret passage. The enemy, however, was watching. At nightfall, a platoon of Persian soldiers entered the city through the hidden entrance, attacked, and conquered the city with ease.
We have an enemy who is watching and waiting. The enemy sees ours weaknesses, and is standing ready to attack. We are called to live lives of holiness and diligence, giving no point of entry that the enemy can exploit to minimize our usefulness to the Kingdom of God. I’ve heard it said that “integrity is who you are when no one is watching”. Integrity and character walk hand-in-hand, and who you are when the world is watching is far less telling than who you are when you’re alone. Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson once said…
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.
American revolutionary Thomas Paine had this to say about character…
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
So how are you spending your company time when the boss is not watching?
How do you act and talk when “church-folk” aren’t around?
What are you watching or looking at on your computer in the dark hours of the night?
Peter reminds us of the importance of holiness in our lives when he says…
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. ~ I Peter 1:14-16
Make no mistake… your enemy is watching your every move. The only path the enemy has into your life is the one YOU give him.
The Way of Life is the path that stays close to the Savior, and never leads you to a dead-end.
The Heart of Abba - Ron Phillips 