Today, I wanted to share a piece of my heart with you. My daughter, who is 13, and oh so very bright and intuitive for her young age, said something to me the other day that has not left me.We were driving home from school, which is my favorite part of the day because it is just her and me and the road and we get some uninterrupted talk time. As I was driving, just out of the blue, Anna said to me, "Thank you Mom for not smoking."
Now...I have been complimented for alot of things over time but honestly, I don't believe I have been complimented for not smoking before!
I asked my daughter why she said that ... and she said, "most of my friends have parents who smoke and even though my friends don't smoke -they smell awful. I want to just tell them to go take a bath!"
WOW.
It's true. What she had to say.
Have you ever walked into a room full of smoke? and not only does the room look hazy but there is an awful stench in the room?
Once tobacco gets in the air. It pollutes everything. It gets in your clothes, in your hair, your teeth and anything else that you touch.
Sin is much like this.
Once you fall to deception and weakness, the enemy will use the act of sin to pollute everything that you touch.
It stains your family.
It stains your reputation.
It stains your testimony.
and it leaves a stench that many times you are not aware of.
a stench of deception
a stench of selfishness
a stench of failure
a stench of lying
a stench of disobedience
"Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withheld good from you." -Jeremiah 5:25
Sometimes we can hide from other people, the things that we do in private...
and then other times - truth can be found out by the stench we carry.
May we constantly be aware of the cleansing power of Jesus Christ. May we "bathe" in His presence daily and commit those things that we struggle with to Him. It is my prayer that what oozes from you is not a stench to His nostrils.
AND THAT IS A PIECE OF MY HEART TODAY;
I always enjoy stopping by to read what is on your heart. You always have something very thoughtful and insightful to share and I leave your blog feeling blessed! Thanks for sharing your heart as God leads you.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Great analogy between smoking and sin.... this was great... Thank you.... Amen...
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy, Laurie! Very true and another great post!
ReplyDeleteHope you are well rested and well again!
Love you!
That is a great, thoughtful analogy. Even when we think nobody knows about a sin and have become used to it, it can be so evident to others and bring "stink" to our lives. Thanks for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteLaurie,
ReplyDeleteRight now my husband's uncle is staying with us and he is a smoker..........oh boy.....did this post hit home. We are not smokers and even when he goes outside and then comes back in we are just overwhelmed by the stench of it!
Great analogy, my sister! Blessings to you today!
Great analogy, Laurie! Sin does cling like the aroma of smoke. It's stain is hard to get out, too. It builds up little by little, damaging us until it's like a cancer we cannot rid ourselves of. Only Christ can wash us clean. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog - and for your kind comment. I really enjoyed your post - I detest the smell of cigarette smoke and I'm quite vocal about it (especially at restaurants with a supposed no-smoking section that is an open part of the restaurant)...I should be just as vocal - and willing to speak up..and against..sin! Speaking out about sin is really not the time to be "politically correct" - just a tought for myself. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog - and for your kind comment. I really enjoyed your post - I detest the smell of cigarette smoke and I'm quite vocal about it (especially at restaurants with a supposed no-smoking section that is an open part of the restaurant)...I should be just as vocal - and willing to speak up..and against..sin! Speaking out about sin is really not the time to be "politically correct" - just a tought for myself. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou are so smart! What a great twist to compare smoke to sin. I love to read your posts - so much truth!
ReplyDeleteGod bless you Laurie!
I used to be a closet smoker. I thought I hid my bad habit very well. When God finally delivered me, I noticed that I could tell who smoked by the way they smelled. I would embrace people at church and know that either they smoked or they lived in a house of smokers. Suddenly I realized that as a closet smoker I was only fooling myself. :) God has shown me recently that many times the people I judge so harshly because they are sinners do not have a clue they are in such mess. The first step to come to Christ is to realize our need for Him and to know that we have sinned and come short of God's glory. So I have changed my prayers and have been asking God to open their eyes so they can see their need for Him. As well as asking Him to open my eyes so I can see His Presence in my life. Thank you for the great insights. :)
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