One inch at a time.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.
Avoid it, do not travel on it; Turn away from it and pass on. - Proverbs 4:14-15

Tony Dungy's devotion in the Uncommon Life Daily Challenge for today is very good; it might be his best writing in terms of practicality and identification with everyday life.

"Death by inches" he writes.  How true this is, I make a terribly small compromise today on something that's "not that big of a deal" and I am immediately off the path.  I'd use the anecdote "Give sin an inch and it'll take a mile." 

How does this work?  I think math provides the best ability to describe it.  Let's say a boat captain is headed on a course taking him home.  He has to travel 100 miles and he is traveling 10 miles an hour, so he should arrive at home in 10 hours.  But let's say his heading is off by a scant 5 degrees.  Although he is not far off, by the time he goes 100 miles he is off by 8.7 miles and it will take another hour to get home.  But let's say he only makes four small 5 degree heading errors in the 100 miles.  When he goes the 100 miles he will be 35 miles away from home!  Now he has to worry about having enough gas, uncharted territory, water depths, and weather.  All from a few very, very small heading errors.

I see this in young people by their friend selection, watching an inappropriate movie "just this once", excusing themselves in not getting that better grade in that one class, or missing a church service, soon I see that they have a group of bad friends, watch a lot of inappropriate movies, all their grades are bad, and they never expect to attend church.   But I also see it in my life, us "mid-lifers".  I think a little drink every night is deserved until I find its 3 drinks.  ...  Another inch, another 5 degree heading change. ...  I think it's okay to put off exercise and eating better for another day, week, then year.  ...  Another inch, another 5 degree heading change.  ...  I think it's okay to share personal information and become friends with that person of the opposite sex. ...  Another inch, another 5 degree heading change.

Everywhere I lack self-discipline and am willing to compromise the internal driving of the Spirit and God's Word, I am getting off the path.  I am allowing sin to have an inch.  Even if it is only the slightest of errors and I am still very close to the path - I am off the path.

In the movie, The Matrix, Morpheus says to Neo, "Neo, sooner or later you're going to realize just as I did that there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."  Knowing the path doesn't keep you on the path.  I have to purposely and actively walk the path and to not take those slightest forks off the path lest I find myself completely off the path and unable to even see it.  Purposely and actively walking can only be done in a daily complete surrender in faith and a call of faith to Jesus declaring that my life is Him or it is nothing.  Everything away from Him is death, destruction, and chaos, even that smallest of compromises.