As we buckle on the helmet of salvation, we will be able to walk through the deceptions all around us without being harmed. Our self-confidence will increase. We will be virtuous and happy in a world continually bombarded and damaged with sin. We may make some mistakes, but we can put our helmets back on. No matter the decisions of the past, it is not too late for you. Pick up your helmet, buckle it on, and press forward with confidence.
Hank Smith, “Armor Up!” by John Bytheway, Brad Wilcox, Laurel Christensen Day, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Hank Smith
When I grew up, safety wasn't nearly as big of a priority that it is today. Back then, seat belts weren't required. They were in the car, but not everyone used them at all. Until it became law. And mouthpieces, nobody used them for protection, in sports particularly.
And what about helmets? Nobody wore them, riding a bike or even a motorcycle, or any other impact sport or scenario (think of the early days of football).
Point is, over time, I don't know if we as a society slowly realized just how important our brains and the rest of us were, so protecting that slowly became a priority. Or, the technology to make that protection better just wasn't invented at a quick enough pace. Or....we didn't care, it just wasn't a priority so inventing it was slow because we didn't think and ponder that stuff.
Regardless, we need to realize now just how vital our spiritual anatomy is and we need to protect it. We can't afford to wait until it becomes more of a priority. We can't afford NOT to wear that protection because it makes us look silly or awkward, or uncool.
We can't afford to be knocked unconscious spiritually (we may not wake up next time, per se). We need the helmet of salvation (and all of the armor of God), but as this quote implies, we need to protect our brains, even our minds, so that we don't damage that communication channel directly to our Heavenly Father.
If that channel has been damaged already, we just go to another channel. Heavenly Father has unlimited channels available for us to reach Him on.