Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

 

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iving in a dormitory was an interesting adventure.  There were many opportunities to forge new friendships and to get acquainted with people from different parts of the United States as well as other countries around the world.  A sense of comradery developed among the men in our dorm.  We watched television together, we shared the same kitchen, and we also shared laundry facilities.  Such closeness only served to underscore the degree to which our actions directly impacted the other tenants of our dorm. 

 

This point became very apparent one weekend.  One of the gentlemen in the dorm accidentally spilled some milk on the carpet outside his room.  At first, there was no indication that anything was drastically wrong.  However, a few days afterward, there was a distinct odor emanating from the carpet.  The smell, however, was confined just to the immediate area but as the weekend wore on, the odor made its way down one of the main hallways.  Eventually, security and the housing office became involved before reaching a satisfactory solution to the situation. 

 

In a similar fashion, sin taints and spoils our spiritual lives.  At first, there seems to be very little to worry about.  We haven't murdered anyone, we haven't embezzled money, or we haven't committed an immoral act.  Perhaps we've told a white lie, or not performed our jobs with the greatest degree of integrity.  Still, there doesn't seem to be anything terribly wrong that would cause us to be unduly concerned.  There is the catch!  We have spilled a small amount of milk on the carpet.  It seems innocent enough but left unattended, it will spoil, sour, and emit an odor that, sooner or later, will be experienced by those around us. 

 

Jesus addressed this in one of his many discussions with his disciples.  Luke 12:1-2 relates Jesus' words: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known."  Here, Jesus demonstrates how a small amount of sin in our lives can lead to spiritual ruin.  He uses the example of leaven (yeast) in making bread.  Compared to the other ingredients, the amount of yeast required to make a loaf is small.  However, when it has worked its way into the dough, it becomes a part of it and causes it to rise.  This is the way sin is.  It works its way into our lives, becoming such an integral part of our character, that it is indistinguishable.  Its effects, however, touch every part of our lives and in the end change us. 

 

In addition, Jesus also says that sin, left unchecked and untreated, will eventually come to the forefront.  It cannot remain hidden, it cannot be put away, and it cannot be concealed forever.  It will work its way through our lives until it becomes evident to those around us.  Just like the odor from the milk spill, we give emit the fragrance of sin.  Left to itself, sin will spoil us and cause our lives to grow sour.    

 

In order to remove the undesirable odor from the carpet, housekeeping used a large machine to extract all the spoiled milk.  It cleaned the fibers of the carpet at their deepest level.  The machine did not simply spray a perfumed cleaner on the carpet to mask the odor. Instead, it thoroughly cleaned it so that the source of the odor would be removed.  This is what Jesus wants to do for us.  He doesn't seek to simply cover the sin in our lives; he seeks to remove it completely.  His one goal is to extract from us anything that would cause our spiritual lives and witness to turn sour, to spoil, and to give off an odor that is unpleasing to those around us.   

 

Today, take a spot inventory of your life.  Are there any spills that need to be attended to?  Have you left things unchecked and poorly monitored?  Simply reading your Bible and having a quick devotional moment will not extract the sin in your life.  Only a deep and abiding relationship with Christ can accomplish this.  Only his blood has the necessary ingredient to completely extract and eradicate the sin in your life.  Are you crying over spilled milk today?