Growing up in the 1980’s, arcades, malls and skating rinks were places teenagers congregated for social interaction. Subsequently, I developed a soft spot in my heart for video games, longing to master the pattern for Pac-Man, flip Space Invaders from 999,999 back to zero on my Atari and complete every stage of Dragon’s Lair, one of the first games in 3D. Looking back, I wonder if I was merely captivated by this new form of entertainment or was I captured by the devil, 2 Corinthians 4:4?
Compromise doesn’t happen over night. Rather, the father of lies places subtle thoughts into your mind, hoping you will bite, James 1:13-15. For the first 14 years of my life, I was hooked, spending countless hours on my Atari seeking to enter the hall of fame for each game I owned, taking a picture with a polaroid camera of my score or time. However, with each accomplishment, excitement soon passed, creating a void in my heart that video games did not fulfill. Breaking this habit was difficult, needing assistance from a higher power.
By the middle of my sophomore year of high school, I was ready, captivated by a man in wheelchair, claiming to be a famous athlete. After receiving over 1,000 full scholarships in 4 different sports, a water skiing accident left Skip Wilkins paralyzed from the waist down. Despite his humbling disposition, there was something different about him. Whatever Skip had inside of him, I wanted. Thus, when an altar call was offered, I was one of the first to come down, captivated by a godly witness and now captured by a forgiving Savior, Romans 10:9-10.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 