No Man Is An Island

Someone once made that statement to remind us that whatever we do in life has an impact on other people. Paul told us in Rom 14:7 "For none of us liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself". Often, we think that some little sin is no big deal, because it only effects me. But the truth of the matter is, that sin, of any size, has a bearing on our fellowship with God, which in turn effects our fellowship with our family and friends. Then there is the result of the sin, both emotionally and physically and the simple fact that "...sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death". James 1:15b. God has blessed us with and surrounded us with people who make a difference in our lives. Why would we be so naive as to think that what we do and how we live has little to do with other people. Even the decisions that we make influence those who are watching our every move. Several years ago, I heard the testimony of an evangelist who was traveling alone to his next meeting. He was from the east coast, but had been preaching in the western states. As he stopped for lunch in Nevada, there was a slot machine in the little cafe and just for the fun of it, he dropped in a quarter - and lost. A couple of years later, he was back in that town holding a Revival Meeting and after the service a woman came up to him and said that it was hard for her to listen to him, because all she could picture was the day that he pulled the lever on the slot machine in the cafe where she worked. Being from out of town, he was easy to remember. His heart sank as he recalled that simple little drop of a quarter that impacted this lady, causing an inability to hear the Gospel message. How does our life effect other?