Beware of Attachments
I recently
received an e-mail with the subject: “Beware of Attachments.” The e-mail was a
warning against opening e-mails with attachments that could be a virus. Not
every attachment is a virus, but some could be if you are not careful.
We must also
beware of attachments we have in our daily lives. An attachment is a “… any passion
or affection that binds a person; as, an attachment to a friend, or to a
party” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).
Paul wrote, “Set
your affection [attachments] on things above, not on things on
the earth” (Col. 3:2).
Many
attachments in life are like a virus—Attachments to the world; sensual
pleasures; money; material possessions; the wrong kind of friends; etc—These
are poison to the soul. They should be deleted from your heart as soon as
possible. “They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections
[attachments] and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
Even “good”
attachments can be a problem when they make us overly dependent upon them.
When you are
attached to something or someone (e.g. a spouse, child, friend, church), there
is always the possibility that it could become “unattached” from your life.
When it becomes “unattached” you are devastated by the void that is left in
your life. I know of husbands who were so attached to a wife for many years
that when their wife died, they also died not too long afterwards. I’ve seen
marriages become unattached after the death of a child that they were too
closely attached to. Many teenage suicides are the result being too closely
attached to a boyfriend or girlfriend and then “breaking-up.”
I am not
suggesting that you should not become attached to something or someone. I’m
just offering a word of caution that anything you are attached to, can be
detached by God, sin, or carelessness. Don’t become so attached that if that
attachment is ever lost you would be left emotionally or spiritually
handicapped.
The only
attachment a Christian has that he can never lose is his attachment to God and
salvation. The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you. Praise God for that!
copied
Posts
