Beware of Attachments

 

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!

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