Too much Walking Dead?

I used to be scared of my bedroom.  There, I said it.  When my family moved to this new town and new house, for the first time I got my own room.  At 10 years old, I was excited to have my own space where my brother couldn't lay his wet towels on my bed any longer.  But there was a problem.  In this particular house, the way to the attic was in my closet.

Let me paint a picture for you.  You open the door to my nice walk-in closet and see space for clothes as any other closet would have, until you turn to the right.  To the right in the closet are large steps leading up to a square hole in the ceiling that would take you into the attic.  But that area wasn't covered with a door.  Instead a styrofoam piece about 3 inches thick fit into the ceiling doorway to the attic.  And on a windy day, I could open my closet door to see that styrofoam lifting up as if some axe murderer was getting ready to make his way down to me.  It. Was. Terrifying.  So most nights I piddled around until my brother's bedtime so I could go and sleep in his room.

Needless to say, I was not a fan of scary movies either.  We weren't allowed to watch the classics like Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, or Friday the 13th; and that was fine by me.  I'd get nightmares from watching the trailers for those movies on television.

So when The Walking Dead came to AMC I had no interest.  Even as an adult I have little interest in gory horror movies, and still don't understand people's obsession with being scared.  But more and more, people told me how great this show is.  And I began to feel a bit tempted to try it out.  So through the magic of Netflix, Katie and I sat down to begin the first season of TWD.  Long story short: we watched 2 episodes and were done.  Too gory, too terrifying.  (I mean, this is a worst nightmare scenario.  Disgusting looking zombies eating you alive.  No thanks.)  

A few months passed and the lure to try TWD again was strong; more of my friends and family were hooked and I was missing out.  So I decided to try again, but with a catch.  I only watch during daylight.  Otherwise my sleep is too affected.  

I watched three and a half seasons in about three weeks.  (I would have gone faster but the sun kept setting every day.)  And something crazy happened; I stopped being grossed out or afraid of zombies.  My friends and family were right that the show is phenomenal.  It is fascinating to watch what happens to people when the structures of civilization fall apart.  The zombies are an important part, but they are more the cause that allow you see the effects on human characters.  And no matter how gory and tense the episodes, I find them affecting me less and less.  

I've gotten used to zombies!!  

Is this what happens with sin in our lives?

Those things that we used to think were abhorrent become the norm when we let them little by little into our daily lives.

I've read that in support groups for broken marriages they call this "the fog".  This term refers to the way that living in the midst of sin begins to fog up a person's ability to see right and wrong.  When sin makes its way into our lives and goes unchecked, it begins to change us.

Have you ever experienced "the fog"? Have you been desensitized by sin?  Don't worry, there's a way out.  Encountering Jesus has a way to cut through the fog so you can see reality.

It worked for Zacchaeus.  A tax collector, traitor to his own people, cheat, and sinner; one encounter with Jesus and the fog was lifted.  (Luke 19)

I love that story.  This "wee little man" must have known that something was different about Jesus because he was determined enough to scurry up a tree to see Jesus walking by.  The Bible never says if Jesus even mentioned Zacchaeus' sin, but almost immediately the man was changed.

It may not be that sudden, but reconnecting to Jesus will always get through the muck so you can see clearly again.