This video is pretty amazing. It’s centered on simple physics: A tipping domino can knock over another domino that is about 1.5 times bigger than it is.

But play that implication out, and look what happens:

This isn’t just true in the physical world. Think about it in terms of sin.

It’s just a small lie.

It’s just a slight indiscretion.

It’s only some innocent flirtation.

But it’s not.

In the world of treatment and recovery, there are certain substances referred to as “gateway drugs.” They are deemed such because of their seemingly innocuous nature, and yet they are the pathway to something greater.

In the spiritual world, perhaps there are such things as “gateway sins.” It doesn’t lessen the badness or even the consequences of such sins to call them that; it points to the fact that there is an immensely probably chance that such seemingly innocuous acts point to something deeper going on. Some latent idolatry. Some hidden discontent. Some part of us failing to take hold of what Christ has taken hold of us for.

Beware, friends. Beware, self. Small rarely stays small.