Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst.I believe that the disregard for this short instruction was a main cause of Israel's downfall. Not the only cause, but one of the main ones. This is the command not to compromise in one's faith, and the instruction on how to do it. If in doubt, avoid the possibility of contamination.
Now, many can carry this too far in the modern world, don't get me wrong. It was much simpler for the Israelites, since they were called to be set apart from the other nations. However, it is still an area we today have troubles with. We are easily attached to the culture, and allow many non-honoring parts to infiltrate our lives. But if we do not have connections in the culture, we easily can become so different from it that there is no appeal for others to join us. The difficulty is striking the balance between separation and snare, to where we are accessible and able to relate to the modern world, without being compromised to the point of being indistinguishable. I can't say I've always done a good job of finding this balance, in either direction. I pray for God's insight into where I can correct my path, to be the conduit he wants me to be.
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