Green Vegetables in our Teeth
Susan was excited about her date on Friday night. Raphael had asked her to go to dinner and a movie. Not only did she like the restaurant they were planning to go to, but the movie was one she hadn’t seen yet. And she was interested in Raphael, because they had spent time together in biology class and lab and seemed to have a lot in common. Susan wanted to make a good first impression (and you only get once chance), so she wore her favorite sweater, jeans and shoes, She looked and felt great.
After dinner, she excused herself to go to the restroom. She fixed her hair a bit and put on some lip gloss. Just right, she thought. Then she smiled in the mirror and saw a piece of green vegetable right between her two front teeth. She thought to herself, “Yikes, that looks bad. I should remove it, but nah, I’ll do it later. I’m having way too much fun. And besides, Raphael won’t notice.”
That episode may not happen in real life, but it does happen in our spiritual lives. The Bible says we should not only read and meditate on Scripture, but do what it says (James 1:22-25). Reading Scripture and walking away without doing anything about it, or allowing the Word to change us, is like walking away with food between our teeth.
Spending time in God’s Word daily and thinking about how we relate to God (and others) helps us see the sin in our life. The Word of God helps us “see” the green vegetable in our teeth. Then we realize that we cannot do anything to get rid of the sin without God’s help. We see the need for help because we honestly see the sin in us.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you your sin and the remedy for forgiveness and change. That will require you to 1) admit your sin (even to a trusted friend), 2) be willing to forsake it, and 3) accept God’s forgiveness. God can cleanse you (1 John 1:9) and help you get back on the path to a more fruitful ad obedient life.
Grow devotionally this week. As you read Scripture, ask the Lord to reveal to you a greater sense of His holiness. You will find yourself not only reflecting on the purity of God, but yearning to be more like Him. Look into the Word of God and let it do its work.
Love is a verb,
Mike Olejarz
