Stains

    One day when our grandson, Caleb, was about 7 years old we had a situation that has forever been imprinted in my heart....
     His mom, Sarah, and I had just finished painting the walls of a brand new playhouse.  It was a pretty impressive small building with it's own porch, picture windows, loft, and upper deck from which you could access a zip line.  It had turned out to be way more than any of us had envisioned and the kids were having a hard time waiting until it was finished.
    As Sarah and I shut the door and started to walk back to the house with our brushes and paint supplies in hand, we heard the door slam behind us. Sarah turned around and called out, "Who just went inside the playhouse?"
    A meek little voice replied, "It's me, Caleb! I'm up in the loft."
   "I told you that you were supposed to stay away from here for awhile!  The paint is wet and you have your new jeans on!"  She scolded.
    "I'll be careful, Mommy!"
    "No, Caleb.  You come out of there right now!"
    A few seconds later a very sad little boy emerged from the playhouse.  Head hanging low and new jeans covered in paint, he looked like the picture of dejection.  As tears flowed down his face he cried, "I'm so sorry!"
    Sarah looked at him with a mixture of compassion and sternness.  "I know, Caleb....but you were told not to go in there.  Now, you will have to suffer the consequences."
    Sarah took off while I waited for my sad little grandson.  As we walked to the house I listened to him.  He was mad at himself, frustrated that his new jeans were ruined and dreading his rightful punishment.  As we reached the door,  I turned to him and said,  "Let's try to get those paint stains out before you go see your mom, O.K?"
    We went into the bathroom.  After shedding his jeans, I went to work on them.  With a bit of soap, water, and a lot of scrubbing the paint was slowly washing away.  As Caleb and I watched the disappearing paint we talked about sin and how it always causes hurts, stains, and consequences.  We also talked about the importance of acknowledging and confessing sin right away.  If we had allowed those paint stains to fully dry before we tried to wash them they would have been almost impossible to get out.  By dealing with them immediately, the evidence of his disobedience was easier to get rid of.  Soon his jeans were fully restored.......They were wet and couldn't be worn for awhile but they were as good as new.  Relieved, Caleb ran upstairs to tell his mom the good news!
    I often think of this real little story when I am tempted to want to hide my sin from God.  When I do something that I know in my heart of hearts is wrong or when I willingly disobey a direct commandment from God, I remember this time.  It is always, always, always better to be honest before the God who knows all things and allow him to discipline me before the stains of sin are too deeply embedded and  the effects of sin become disastrous!
 
                                                          Have a good day!  Love, Sue
 
A paraphrase of the Bible called The Message states it this way in Psalm 51...."Generous in love, God give grace!  Huge in mercy, wipe out my bad record.  Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry."