The Pull of Sin: How Laughter Won The Day

At an event this Saturday night, we were reminiscing with a hometown friend about the haunted house we'd grown up attending, Hagel's House of Horrors. Seems the iconic building is finally being torn down. We all had memories, including our friend who talked of being so startled that he literally punched the ghoul that tried to scare him. Fight or flight, right?

My husband, Ty, and his dad both spent some years working there. His dad often got to be an ankle grabber.

Man, I hated the ankle grabbers! Didn't you? I hate being scared!

But I digress.

The line around that place would often stretch a block or two long and they'd stay open into the wee hours. Sometimes his dad didn't get home till 2 or 3 in the morning. He had all kinds of stories. Ty shared the most memorable with us: One night, amidst all the crowds and screams and running, his dad grabbed an ankle and instantly felt something warm and wet run down his hand.

Yes... exactly.

"Ooooh! Gross!" we all exclaimed. I've heard this story many times and it's still pretty nasty.

On to Sunday... At church we began a new series about our life in Christ. As he taught through the points of who God is, who are we in relation to God, and what our purpose is, our pastor spoke of the pull of sin. How, even with the Spirit in us, there is this type of gravitational pull toward evil. (Like wanting to go to haunted houses - when you hate being scared?) It was a great, foundational message.

(Don't worry. There's a point here.)

Fast forward to Monday morning... I drove Ty to work and as he prepared to leave the car he referred back to the sermon in regards to this pull of sin. He talked of the heaviness he sometimes feels at work. The tugging. The negativity. We're supposed to take our thoughts captive, he shared, yet it's so difficult. The tug is always there... like those hands reaching out to grab your ankles...

As his tale of frustration wound down, a thought came to mind. So I looked him right in the eye and said,

"Pee on 'em and run!"

Yes, I know. I truly am this spiritual.

Well, you know what, Ty laughed so hard as he grabbed his gear. He kept saying it over and over as he chuckled, "Pee on 'em and run!" (I love it when he laughs. He sounds just like his dad.) And off he went with a wave and a smile and a nod that said, "Good one! Really good!" (You know guys and their nods.)

A tad irreverent perhaps, but I'm thinking it'll be a great visual reminder for him to douse a few flaming arrows - with truth, and thoughts taken captive, an anything else the Spirit brings to mind. Scripture is full of strategies to stand firm and combat the enemy.

While you won't find mine in there specifically, perhaps it'll lighten up a dark moment and remind you to go to your real armor.

Resist the devil and he will flee. James 4:7

There are many ways to resist.

Laughter for the win, again.