A Healthy Disregard of Sin

Reflection on Psalm 119:11 - 11/6/2023

Psalm 119:11: Thy word have I hid in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.

Too much unhealthy attention is paid to sin. Yes, it is presented as something we should avoid, abstain from, flee, etc., and all of these are good, but when our relationship to sin isn’t framed properly, we may end up spending our time focused on sin, in attempts to avoid committing it. This, of course, only strengthens the temptation to do the very thing we’re trying to avoid. It’s like the old joke about not thinking about a pink elephant; of course, trying to not think of it causes you to think of it.

Sin is not the kind of thing you break free from by paying attention to it; of course, appropriate measures will need to be put in place to avoid temptation, but if a person will grow in righteousness, they will need something else to focus on.

Simon Sinek, a world-renowned speaker on business leadership, tells a story of how professional skiers are able to ski through thick forested areas, while amateurs constantly run into trees. The difference, he says, is that amateurs ski trying to avoid the trees, and in doing so are drawn to them; professionals, on the other hand, focus on the path and end up skiing through the trees.

The psalmist is a professional; “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Hiding a word requires attention. It’s very much like committing something to memory for the sake of acting upon it. Before GPS, I remember being given directions to someones house and committing it to memory: “Go past the McDonald’s, then turn right at the light; once you pass the small church turn left at the first stop sign, then look for 228 Hamilton Ave., and you’ll be here!” Committing the word, brought me to my desired location.

When we hide the word of God in our hearts, we will also arrive at our goal. Not only the goal of a growing and harmonious relationship with God, but we will discover that avoiding Sin is a natural byproduct.

So today, remember the wisdom of the Psalmist; give your attention to what God has said; hide his word in your heart, obediently allow it to guide you into a deeper and more meaningful life with Him.

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