Years ago when we first saw the Japanese vine draped on the trees lining the highways of north Georgia, we thought it was quaint.

First introduced to control erosion, the fast growing vine soon became a curse to land owners.

Kudzu is like sin - fast growing and tenacious once it has a grip.

As you turn down the road that leads to our country home, the kudzu vines are so aggressive that they have rise up and grabbed a telephone wire and now threaten to pull it down!

Its vines will swallow alive anything in its way. A barn in our neighborhood is an example.

I've known a few people like that. Jesus-followers caught up in pornography, drugs, or alcohol, and swallowed alive.

The habit slowly grew until it became an addiction, and the addiction eventually began to block out any light, choking out life - tragically, even the light shining on their family.

They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct...

Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight...

With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed...

They have left the straight way and wandered off..."
-2 Peter 2:12-15