Swine Flu

Monday, 23. November 2009 by Dan Ryan

They are 2 words that strike fear in the hearts of many Americans: swine flu.

Last week, the Associated Press reported that 22 million Americans have been infected by the virus. Closer to home, I noticed the swine flu affecting my classroom. By the end of the week, I had a growing stack of papers from students returning to school after 4-5 day absences. I simply referred to it as “my H1N1 pile.”

On Wednesday, our students had the opportunity to be vaccinated. I say opportunity because there has been some controversy/concern over the H1N1 vaccine. I have heard from a couple people who had healthily sidestepped the whole swine flu epidemic—until they received the vaccine, that is.

Do you realize how a vaccine works? You are actually injected with a small strain of the H1N1 virus in hopes that your body responds by developing the antibodies needed to fight off such a virus. Thus, your body builds an immunity to the swine flu in case you encounter the virus down the road. 

Some people swear by flu shots; others adamantly oppose them. Personally, I’ve never gotten a flu shot of any kind, H1N1 or otherwise. I’ve always been a little leery of the thought of injecting myself with the very virus I’m trying to avoid.

I wish I lived with the same caution when it comes to sin.

I don’t know if you’re like me in this regard. We are all annoyingly skilled in the art of rationalization, aren’t we? You convince yourself that you won’t be entangled by something, that it’s just one time or that it won’t hurt anyone, etc., etc. Oh, we are skilled at spinning the ol’ excuse wheel.

Have you ever been guilty of the vaccination approach—to test a sin just to prove you can walk away from it? I’ve been guilty of trying to vaccinate myself from further sin. There’s only one flaw in my otherwise flawless plan: sin does not work like a vaccine. Not even close.

I’ve made a simple conclusion: sin is usually a fertile breeding ground for more sin. I have no proof for you…other than pretty much every time I’ve ever chosen to dance with sin. For example, lie once and you’ll find it’s much easier to lie.

Big or small, public or private, once an hour or once a year—none of that seems too change my enemy’s delight and sense of opportunity. Maybe that’s why I have a difficult time remembering when God told me to stop being a wuss, walk right up to sin and meet it face-to-face.

He never did.

In all of His recorded words to us, never once does Jesus prod us to walk up to sin and prove we’re bigger than it. Simply put, this was a recipe for failure. If we take inventory of our lives, haven’t we proven as much ten times over? 

Instead, Jesus is fairly open when it comes to our strategy. Tuck tail and run. And don’t look back. Themes of vigilance and being proactive about avoiding our vulnerabilities are woven throughout Scripture.

“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.”  —James 4:7-8

In other words, if you’re just going to pitch a tent for the enemy, don’t be surprised if he walks up to your campfire. Enough said.

“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”—Matthew 5:29

Whenever I’ve read, heard or studied this teaching in the past, I always rested on the comfort that Jesus was speaking metaphorically here. While I still maintain that point, I don’t think I should rest on it anymore.

A couple things emerge here. First, notice Jesus is awfully specific, mentioning our “right eye.” Peculiar, isn’t it? When the topic is sin, it’s easy to lose ourselves in generalities, but exact details can be more painful. Pretty soon, I’m talking about the world’s struggle with some sin and, in the process, forgetting about my struggle with it. Very convenient…and equally unproductive.

I’m hearing Jesus say, to all those who are genuinely serious about escaping the clutches of a sin, “Be precise, exact and honest in your fight.”

Second—and this is totally consistent with Jesus’ teaching—notice the immediacy and the dramatic plan of action. He knows us; He knows our tendencies. How often do we try to wean ourselves away from sin? Doesn’t always work too well, does it?

Just surf God’s instruction manual. Don’t lie, big or small. Don’t even harbor a hint of sexual immorality. If you need to forgive, do that first—and do it now. Jesus is straight-forward in pushing for an immediate, clean cut from anything which threatens to drag us from our Protector.

“Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” —Ephesians 4:26-27

Or a syringe loaded with your sin du jour.