“And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.”

               -I Corinthians 7:35

Parasites are deadly. According to the World Health Organization malaria kills approximately 781,000 people every year, making it one of the most lethal diseases on our planet and one we’ve fought hard to eradicate for years. It all starts when a mosquito, no more than a centimeter or so in length, decides to tap into your bloodstream and feast on stolen nutrients while you occupy yourself with other things. “Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” (James 3:5)

Spiritually speaking, the obvious comparison is that Christians also struggle with “parasites” which attempt to steal our thoughts and affections, though they’re usually much more difficult to identify than the buzzing of a mosquito or the crawling of a tick. Things inherently sinful such as ungodly movies or mp3’s are naturally among the first things we list as harmful to the Christian, but more often than not the things which hinder us most are actually self-made idols – those daily, and yet perhaps somewhat unnecessary, routines that require so much and yet promise so little.

“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

               -Psalm 112:7

Unfortunately, the hardest part of removing any hindrance from our lives usually isn’t just recognizing what it’s doing to us; for many, taking action after this realization is just as difficult – especially when such action requires sacrifice. It’s like that mosquito bite you just can’t stop scratching: even though you know you’re only making things worse for yourself, to stop means you’ll have to endure the discomfort of it itching again.

That’s where the words of Christ is Luke 14:27 come in: “And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.” Does that sound like a cakewalk to you? It certainly doesn’t to me, but rather serves as a humbling reminder that we must give our God all or nothing. To hold back is to be lukewarm, and to be lukewarm is to place ourselves in jeopardy of being rejected by the Lord as one who refused to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Revelation 3:16; Luke 10:27). “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:24)

Don’t allow parasites to rob you of your affections. Instead, determine this day to “set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2) Accommodating these distractions might seem satisfying for the time being, but they’ll soon rob you of far more than you anticipated.