What is Second Hand Smoking?
When non-smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do. The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body.
Recently a good friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. I remember he called me and said “David I’m sure God is going to get the glory out this situation” To hear him say this was just breath taking. Later on he spoke to some of the members of the ministry and told them that the cancer was due to the exposure of cigarette smoke. So many times we find ourselves in an environment and think “Well as long as I’m not doing that, then I’m OK” We have no idea how much our environment affects us. You don’t believe me? OK.. If you are hanging out, it’s a sunny summer day and all of a sudden it goes down to 50 degrees. What would you do? Can you stand there and take the cold weather or would you have to put a jacket on? Exactly! No matter how tough you want to act, sooner or later you would have to get a jacket and put it on.
Our good friend is a musician and part of his job was to play in lounges and clubs where people would smoke. He himself is not a smoker. The continuous exposure to the wrong environment affects us whether we realize it or not. How many times have we heard “What’s the problem with going to clubs? I’m not doing anything wrong.” or “I don’t smoke weed, but he is my friend and I wanna chill with them.”
Where we hang around and who we hang around with affects who we are, how we think, what we do and what we become. These 2 months, we have been studying the book of James and in it, James reminds us that we must not stain our lives with evilness of this world (James 1, 27) Also, it reminds us to be Gods friends and not friends of the world (James 4, 4). Holiness and separation are one of the themes of this letter. Through it, God is saying to us, be careful of what you do and where you go. It is foolish to think that we can jump in the water and not get wet. It’s foolish to think that we can stick our hand in the fire and not get burned. It’s foolish of us to think that a sip or a taste won’t lead us to do more than we planned on. It’s time to stop the foolishness.
Second hand sinning is as slippery as the serpent was in Genesis 3; giving us the illusion that because we are not directly involved, then we will not suffer the consequences. Telling us it’s OK, just have a bite nothing will happen, but waiting for us to be deceived and expelled from Gods presence and garden. What will it take for you to understand that just as second hand smoke, sin seeps quietly into our lives and slowly but surely kills us. Why would you know ling intake second hand smoke? You would not. I mean each city and state has taken the proper measures to minimize the effects of second hand smoking. They have prohibited smoking in places where people congregate. I mean is it possible that non-believers get it and we don’t. Second Hand Sin KILLS!!!
Do you second hand sin? Do you hang out with people that know ling sin? Do you hang out in areas where people are now ling sinning? Why? Stop exposing yourself to a time bomb waiting to explode. Take a step back and analyze your life. Do you need to make changes? What changes do you need to make? Who needs to see and hear less of you?
I must state for the record I AM NOT A SAINT and yes I SIN, but I don’t second hand sin. Dealing with my own sin is hard enough. Why would I second hand sin? In the book of Galatians chapter 3, Paul tells them ” You Fools!! Who put a spell on you? How did you start in the spirit and end up in the flesh?” Harsh words, but at times we need harsh words to get us back on track. May you keep oil in your lamp and not act as the foolish ones did (Mat 25). Let’s stop and avoid all second hand sinning.
The wise bring joy to his father, but the foolish despises his mother (Prov 15,20) Stop being FOOLISH! SAY NO TO SECOND HAND SINNING!! CAMPAIGN PAID 4 BY JESUS!!
Its time for change! Believe it!!
