But I'm not bad compared to /them/.....

I find myself often comparing what I do to others. Like, 'Oh come on....a movie with a little bit of *insert something inappropriate/immoral here* can't be that bad. Because so and so watches much worse stuff'.

Why do we compare something sinful to other sinners? We are all sinners, so what makes another person right or wrong...or something we can use to judge our actions? Why do we think that comparing something 'less' sinful to something else 'more' sinful (in our book) justifies the sin? Does anyone else ever have this struggle?

Think about this: You'll watch a movie that everyone raves about and there will be a bad scene or some language here and there, but it was a 'good movie'. So you go tell others about it, just mentioning that there are a few bad things in it, but the movie is awesome. But then you go watch it again.... realizing the bad content. But you do nothing about this bad content....you just are reminded that it's sinful every time you watch it. Does this make it suddenly 'ok' to watch? I don't believe so. Some may say "just because I watch a such and such on TV doesn't mean I'm going to go do it myself". And this may be true, in most cases. But, I'm not so sure that God agrees. 'You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.' Matthew 5:27-28 We are not immune to what we see. And that is what I believe that Christians often forget or do not realize.

I want to to consider something. Would you be comfortable watching that movie with God sitting next to you? Do you realize that God is always sitting right next to you whenever you do anything? Oh wow, that puts a different angle on it, doesn't it?

I'm just talking about our hearts here, kids. That's it. I'm not talking about a list of dos and don'ts, or rights or wrongs. In the end, God is the one who will judge and we will have to testify for what we have done on this earth. Not for what others have done and how good or bad we were compared to them. So I'm just asking you to consider this. Considered what I've said. I know even I have had a change of heart on a few things since I started writing on this.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Colossians 3:1-8: 1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.