There was a video online that showcased a man doing a harmless prank that doubled as a social experiment. He stood outside a local establishment with a typical mask on and was pretending to check people with a handheld metal detector. Every person that walked into that building, without hesitation, stopped and let him scan them. The funniest part of this whole video was that it was not a metal detector– it was a lint roller!
In a similar fashion to this video, is it possible that we conform to the world without even thinking about it? We may be walking straight into a sinful atmosphere, or a situation that may lead to sin, and not even realize it because we have not stopped to think about what we are doing. The world has many ways of “normalizing” sins that should not be normal—sins that have become so intertwined with our culture that it can become easy to not think about it thoroughly.
May I encourage us to always have our minds prepared to analyze the situation before us (1 Pet. 1:13), choose the right company and situations to be a part of (1 Cor. 15:33), and keep the focus on Christ and the eternal goal (Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:2). As Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” As we go about our week, may we not be deceived by the lint rollers of this world!