A couple of months ago, we brought an English bulldog puppy into our home and he has been a wonderful addition to our family.

The breeder told us he was 8 weeks old, but after finally receiving his papers, we noticed he was actually only 6 weeks old at the time. He was a healthy little bruiser and we would laugh at him stumbling and being uncoordinated, but now we realize it was because he was such a baby.

My wife and I would sit on the porch in the evenings and watch him explore around in the front yard.

He was so happy as he would jump and roll in the grass and investigate his new surroundings, but when he would hear a loud commotion like a noisy car passing by, it would scare him and he would come running to us. (Maybe we should consider running to God for safety and preservation more than we do).

After a while, he gradually became more used to the traffic sounds and lawn mowers and eventually, it did not bother him at all. One afternoon, it dawned on me that our conscience is also sensitive to the sights and sounds we absorb and how throughout our life each of us will choose to remain tender-hearted or become calloused and indifferent.

When we consider our spiritual life, as Christians we have a responsibility to guard and protect our heart from the negativity and darkness of iniquity. A huge part of accepting Jesus as the Lord of our life is to respect His holiness and for us to make a strong effort to live a pure life.

You see, the idea is that God hates anything that resembles sin, and likewise we should also feel the same way, no matter how tempting it may seem.

Unfortunately, many individuals are convinced this concept is old-fashioned and not really important. It’s no secret that most people, in general, do not want to hear about self-discipline, repentance, or messages that contain topics about changing the way we think and live?

In our defense, we consider this intrusion as meddling and no one’s business, including our creator. The Bible defines this as conviction which are the uncomfortable feelings we sense whenever we know we are doing something wrong but love it too much to stop.

I can relate to this daily battle because I struggle just like everyone else. Our fallen nature is opposed to virtuous living and is always willing to fight for its independence.

I’ve heard about similar reactions from those who relocate close to railroad tracks or airports and how they are sensitive to the sounds at first but eventually get used to it.

We have several antique clocks in our home that are bonging and gonging all the time. When people come in, they comment about how loud they are but we do not even notice them. It’s one thing to get used to sights and sounds that do not hinder our spiritual life, but it’s dangerous to let our guard down when it comes to accepting things that are contrary to God’s standard of sanctification.

I am reminded of the old Dick Van Dyke Show where even though Rob and Laura were married, there were two separate beds in the bedroom.

Back then, even the idea of a married couple in the same bed was socially and morally taboo and that was only 50 years ago.

What happened to our modesty? As modern television and movies are pushing the limits of decency, those who indulge are being tempted to dwell on thoughts that are ungodly, to say the least.

If we are not careful, we will become numb to perversion, darkness and wickedness like the frog who sits in the pan of water on the stove and hardly notices he is being boiled.

If we absorb and accept small amounts of impurities here and there, before long we will not be offended or insulted at all, in fact, we might begin to enjoy it.

“Having, therefore, these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” II Corinthians 7:1.

Dr. Billy Holland lives in Central Kentucky where he is a Christian minister and author. Ask for a free copy of his new CD called, “Keeper of my soul” at billyhollandministries.com.