And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. - 2 Corinthians 11:14.

It looked terrible. But as a college student getting married in a couple of months, it was the only place I could afford. On the front someone had spray painted in large letters: LOVE, SEX, PEACE. And that was not the worst of it. The house sat on the Mississippi bay and had been flooded so many times its center was sunk 10 inches. So every step you took was either going uphill or downhill. But even that was not the worst of it. When it rained the water would collect in the ceiling causing it to bow down. I finally took an ice pick and punched a hole in the ceiling so the rainwater would drain into the toilet. But still that was not the worst of it. The house sat alongside railroad tracks 50 yards from an intersection. You could always tell when the train was coming. The house began to vibrate slightly, and as the train got closer it turned into a full-scale earthquake. Even that was not the worst part. Our house was the marker for the conductor to blow the train whistle. Whistle does not even begin to describe that sound. Full-blown air horn is more like it. And that was the worst part. About three times during the night the house would begin to vibrate. At the height of the earthquake the train whistle would blare as the train came closer to our front door.

Every once in a while my wife and I would have company stay the night. I do not ever remember someone spending more than a single night at our house. Having forgotten to warn our guests about the trains, they would come stumbling out like they had not slept a wink, while we would awaken rested. The first thing they would blurt out was, “Did you hear those trains?” Of course not. We had become accustomed to them. As obnoxious as they were, they did not bother us anymore.

It is surprising how many “trains” we get used to. Maybe your “train” is the TV shows you allow into your home without recognizing how harmful they are. Or the language you use in your home. Maybe no one even raises an eyebrow when an obscene, sarcastic, disrespectful or negative word is used. Maybe it is the music you allow your children to listen to. The danger comes when you get so used to these “trains” that you do not recognize how harmful they are to the health and well being of your children. Sin always begins with the least offensive version and increases as your senses become desensitized to its offense. Let me warn you. Do not let your children play anywhere near the “tracks.”