How can we be "infants in evil" in our daily lives? Our Guiding Verse 1 Corinthians 14:20: “Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.” A Picture of Innocence Infants: • possess no taste for wickedness • turn instinctively toward what nourishes and sustains • withdraw from what harms them, even without understanding all its dangers Paul urges the same reflexive purity—zero appetite for evil—while urging full-grown discernment for everything else. Scriptural Echoes • Romans 16:19: “I want you to be wise as to what is good, but innocent as to what is evil.” • Matthew 10:16: “Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” • Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true … pure … praiseworthy—think on these things.” Daily Practices That Guard Infant-like Purity 1. Guard the gateways—eyes, ears, mind • Psalm 101:3: “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes.” • Choose entertainment and online content that align with purity; silence songs, shows, and sites that glorify sin. 2. Filter speech • Ephesians 4:29: “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.” • Steer conversations away from gossip, coarse joking, or cynical sarcasm. 3. Keep short accounts with God • 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive.” • Respond quickly when conviction comes; confess, turn, move forward cleansed. 4. Choose edifying companions • 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Bad company corrupts good character.” • Invest most deeply in friendships that stir hunger for righteousness. 5. Saturate the mind with Scripture • Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” • Regular reading, memorization, and meditation crowd out evil imaginations. 6. Practice works of mercy • James 1:27: “…to care for orphans and widows… and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” • Serving others redirects focus from temptation toward tangible love. Balancing Innocence and Maturity • Refuse exposure to evil for entertainment, yet study its counterfeit patterns through Scripture for wise discernment. • Stay childlike in purity, yet grown-up in insight, able to identify and resist subtle forms of sin. Living the Contrast When hearts stay tender toward God and uncalloused toward sin, believers shine as lights in a dark culture (Philippians 2:15). The more intentionally we cultivate infant-level innocence toward evil, the more clearly Christ’s mature wisdom and love flow through everyday choices. Brief Recap to Carry Forward • Nourish the mind with truth. • Refuse the taste of wickedness. • Surround yourself with people and inputs that reinforce purity. • Respond immediately to conviction. • Serve others to keep the heart soft. Such habits keep believers “infants in evil” while growing ever more mature in Christlike thought and action. |
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