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So I filed my nails square today. Yes, square. Did you hear me? SQUARE! Okay, perhaps this is not noteworthy… even for Facebook… but the thing is, I used to detest square nails. Whenever they first came to fashion (years ago) I was shocked at what ladies would do to their once naturally beautiful rounded nails and I just wanted to grab a file and smooth out those harsh corners. However, at some point they became no longer hideous to me, and in fact even started to look rather sophisticated. So today I bravely filed my nails square (which means I am pretty certain that fashion is on its way out)! Speaking of fashion and ugliness…what is up with the shoe trends? As a lover of all things shoes, I am appalled! Come on sisters, you feel my pain… right? But I digress… back to the topic of the moment… my nails.

I have no idea when the ugly nails became attractive to me. I guess it was pretty subtle. At some point, though, I started to think that the long rounded nails look rather talon-like (I say as I admire my newly square nails). Weird. I guess this is what peer pressure is- even though no one forced square nails upon me or insulted my rounded ones. It just happened. Okay, so why am I still wasting your time talking about nails? (Wow… are you really still reading this? I’m impressed, thanks!)

I do have a point and here it is: what used to be ugly… may not only no longer be ugly, but even become attractive or sophisticated in our eyes. What? How does that happen? Simply put, the more we are around things, the more we get accustomed to it; whether for good or for evil. Those things that are wrong, are wrong. And if we allow ourselves to be around, read or watch shows (seen the promo for “The New Norm”? Ugh, don’t get me started!) that promote and glorify sin, it will lose the ugliness in our eyes. We may even begin to embrace it. Believe me, things that may gross you out or make you uncomfortable now may not even phase you if you’ve accepted it in small doses.

I shared this story a couple years ago at a ladies’ day, and as gross as it is, you are going to hear it too because it makes my point. I used to work at a vet’s office and the ugly part of my job was to clean the kennels. The first week on the job I came in with gloves on and a face mask and was suppressing gags the whole time. However, just a few weeks later I could handle the smell, the nastiness of it and even eat a snack upon leaving the kennel! What changed? Did the feces? Was it any less nasty? Nope. I changed – as I got used to it, it became less offensive to me. (I did not begin to think it was sophisticated or attractive – don’t push my illustration too far here!)

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Jeremiah 6:15 reads, “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush…” We are surrounded by sin that has become fashionable and sophisticated. People are doing things proudly – with no shame. Don’t let peer pressure convince you otherwise. Don’t get used to it. Instead, saturate your life and your family’s life with all that is good and pleasing to God so that sin will always be offensive. The conclusion of that verse is, “Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down, says the Lord.”

Life is about change isn’t it? We are always changing and growing; the world is always changing. But God does not change (Malachi 3:6). Even if sin is no longer ugly in our eyes, it is still an abomination to God. So, the lesson is yours… don’t get used to sin… it ain’t pretty. But perhaps, I will give those platform shoes a chance… I mean, they would make me look taller…

By Kristy Woodall
Kristy lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband who has preached at the Northeast church of Christ for the past 10 months. She has two near-perfect boys: Lee (age 16) and David (age 10). She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, teaching children and teen girls’ Bible classes, hiking, camping, interior design, and has a hobby of cake decorating. As her boys are getting older, she is considering being a nurse… “when she grows up.”