We take some gift that God has given us and then blow it out of proportion in our lives. Sin causes us to desire the gifts we receive in life more than we desire a relationship with the God who gives the gifts. We take a gift that God has given and we make an idol of it. In this way, we distort the gift and assign to it a new and sinful purpose. We exalt in the gifts, we have when we should be exalting in God.
Sin is deceptive.
It deceives us into taking gifts from God and turning them into something ugly. We can use our gifts and abilities in selfish ways or in servant ways. We can use our tongues to comfort others or to curse them. We can use our hands to physically support life or to strangle life from another. We can use our abilities to serve God and his people, or we can waste both talent and time.