While blowing the leaves out of my yard this afternoon I could not help but notice the leaves were falling from the trees behind me. I was making progress but should I pause for a moment or so they would catch up to me making it look like I hadn’t done anything. I wanted to impress my wife that I was still worth keeping but the fruit of my labor was most unimpressive.
Our sins are somewhat like my leaf blowing. I ask for forgiveness and readily receive what Jesus is anxious to give, but the lawn of my character doesn’t stay clean but for a moment. Often we err in thinking sins are merely acts of wrong but there is also a more important element that we are sinful beings. It is centered in selfishness which might not show on the outside but I know it’s there. Rarely do I hear of someone being shamed for breaking the 10th commandment. “Thou shalt not covet.” If we were to rank sins (and we don’t) I would say this was perhaps #1 on the list. It is internal. It is at the core of our being. It is the seed that manifests itself in the other commandments. I wouldn’t steal something if I had not first coveted it. I wouldn’t kill someone unless I first coveted something that motivated the murder.
Tomorrow is another day and I will once again have my sins forgiven just as I will blow the leaves again. Someday I might be leafless. But considering the reality of trees I somehow doubt that there will not but be a leaf or so tucked in a quiet corner. Such is life.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 21, 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org