Put It Down!

 Here is an old fable with a valid point.

   A young Indian brave climbed to the top of the highrst mountain to prove his manhood. Up there he felt like he was standing on the roof of the world.

   Then he heard a small voice, looked down, and saw a snake at his feet. It was saying, "Please! Take me down the mountain with you. It's too cold for me up here. I'll die."

   "No," the brave said. "I know what you are. You are a rattlesnake. You will bite me and kill me."

   "No, I won't. I promise," the snake replied. "If you take me down off this mountain I will not bite you. I'll treat you differently than other people."

    The brave was convinced and took the snake down off the mountain. When he got to the bottom and put the snake down it hissed, coiled, and struck.

   The brave cried out, "You bit me! You promised you wouldn't. Why did you do it?"

   The snake laughed and said as it slithered away, "You knew what I was when you picked me up."

   That is just the way sin works. Something you know you should not be doing may be outright sin or leading you toward sin. You know it is not good for you. Don't think you can carry it around and get away with it. You know what it is and what it will do to you. Put it down!