November 21—A Pearl for Today
“Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; May they not rule over me” (Ps. 19:12).
THE DAY THE ROOF CAVED IN
For about 30 years our family called 1800 Hankerson Street in Tyler, Texas, our home. We had so many happy memories in that house. One memory, though, was not what you would call happy.
Most people think we have warm weather in Texas all the time. This is not true. Texas winters can get cold. One winter we had a “blue norther” that lasted several days. Temperatures dropped well below freezing till things finally warmed up. I came home one afternoon following the big freeze only to see water running out from under the doors. Not a pleasant sight! I walked inside to find water streaming down the walls. The ceiling, soaked, was starting to fall! I knew how Chicken Little must have felt.
One of our water pipes in the attic had frozen and broken. As it had thawed, the pipe started slowly leaking. We might not have noticed the leak at all had it not originated in the attic. Because of the extensive damage, we spent two weeks in a hotel while our home was repaired. The hidden leak had damaged the attic, ceiling, and inside walls.
Hidden sin also causes much damage. We must stop, confess, and quickly repent. If not, hidden sins grow. Things go from bad to worse as the sin is magnified, and what began as a slow leak becomes a major blow out. A little lie or exaggeration about the character of another leads to a major character assassination. James 3:5: “Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!”
As the song the kids used to sing in the 1970s and ‘80s says, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.”
We open the door just a crack to Satan when we sin. We know a door ajar just a crack is much easier to open than a door firmly locked. Before we know it, Satan has a stronghold in our lives because we did not quickly shut the door.
Song of Solomon 2:15 states, “Catch the foxes for us, The little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, While our vineyards are in blossom” (NASB). Solomon and his bride, Shulamith, realized the importance of not allowing little things to spoil their relationship. We just think the little hidden things do not hurt our relationships with the Lord and with others. Just as one little fox can do much damage, so can any hidden sin.
A little leaven ruins the whole lump.
