One of the most difficult things about being a Christian is watching others fall into sin. We watch helplessly as they, despite many warnings, refuse to listen.
It always begins as a small thing such as an unsettled argument in a marriage which continues to burn every day. We watch as more fuel is added to the flames until, one day, they go their separate ways. Because they refused to forgive, a home is torn apart and the children left in emotional turmoil.
We see children playing with demonic games. We warn the parents of the danger involved as this is one of the devil's traps to encourage young minds to follow him. We tactfully try to explain this to the parents but they consider such an idea a bit far-fetched. We watch the child's eyes change as he learns how to torture his opponent, and evil becomes good.
At first others do not notice because the evil one always begins his work as "an angel of light" (II Cor.11:14). However, as this anti-Christian thinking takes hold of his mind, he adds books on witchcraft to his activities. Later, his parents watch him take a moral backslide which they are unable to halt. Such tampering with the dark world breeds suicide and murder.
In the same way, we watch our young people listening to rock music hour upon hour, day after day. We who have become tuned in to the voice of Jesus find both the words and the heavy sexual beat of the music more and more distasteful. Christians believe sex is one of our Maker's most beautiful gifts, but the very name 'rock and roll' emphasizes selfish lust rather than Christian love. Helplessly we watch our friends' children rebelling against authority and partaking of illicit sex despite our suggestions years before that this could happen.
Although many people see 'Christian' rock music as a means to reach the young people, often it is the very means of those involved sliding unnoticed into secular rock music. Who can tell where one begins and the other ends? The most dangerous are the songs using the names of Jesus and God or other Christian terminology when the lyrics are anything but Christian.
Sometimes we see someone wallowing in self-pity until they have a full-blown nervous breakdown. They blame it on their circumstances, they blame it on others, but they fail to see that their negative thinking and constant complaining adds fuel to the fire of mental illness. Instead of trying to identify the cause or asking for help, they wallow in Satan's garbage cans until the stench destroys them.
As we see problems taking root in those around us, we pray much for them, but the choice is still theirs. Too much reminding of what can happen only turns them against us.
All we can do is warn others about the consequences of a wrong choice, then love them and pray that somehow God can intervene before their stubborn self-will destroys them.
© 1999, Doreen Palmer