Daily Devotional for March 18, 2021
Clean on the Inside
“Mom!” yelled Eliza. “Jaden won’t get out of the bathroom!” She pounded her fists on the door. “He spends more time primping than I do!”
After taking one last look at his hair in the mirror, Jaden opened the door. Eliza stood there, waiting. He scowled, shoved her backwards, and called her a bad name under his breath before hurrying outside.
A truck sat gleaming in the driveway next door. Their neighbor Chad, a college student, was polishing the truck’s shiny black finish. “Hey, Jaden,” called Chad. “How’s it going? I’m polishing my dad’s truck, and I need to run to the store for more polish. Want to come along?”
“Sure!” said Jaden. “I haven’t had a ride in his new truck yet.”
After checking with his mom, Jaden returned and opened the truck’s passenger door. Trash fell out onto the driveway. Jaden picked it up and started to climb in, but the seat was littered with paper and empty soda bottles. “Just push that stuff out of the way,” said Chad, getting in on the driver’s side. Jaden did as he was told, but he was disgusted to find he was sitting on a melted piece of candy. He was glad when they got back home.
“So, do you like the new truck?” asked Mom.
Jaden scowled. “I thought it was so cool until I saw the inside. It’s a mess!”
“Sounds like you,” said Eliza, who was still angry with her brother. “You get all spiffed up on the outside, but you’re mean and ugly inside.”
“Whoa!” Mom frowned at Eliza. “Why don’t you let me handle this?” she said. Eliza stomped upstairs, and Mom turned to Jaden. “Eliza does have a point. The Bible tells us that what counts most to God is what we’re like on the inside. We may be well-groomed and nicely dressed, but if there’s a mess in our hearts, we’re pretty much like that truck, don’t you think?”
Jaden nodded, thinking of the way he had acted that morning. “I’ll go apologize to Eliza,” he said.
“Good,” said Mom. “And tell Jesus you’re sorry too. When we confess our sins to Him, He forgives us and makes us clean on the inside.” • Debra A. Van Dyke
How about you?
Do you put a lot of care into your outward appearance? It’s good to take care of yourself and look your best, but don’t neglect your heart. Is there a mess in your life that needs cleaning up? A lie you told your parents? A mean word said to a classmate? Confess it to Jesus. He will forgive you and clean it away. Then apologize to anyone hurt by that wrong. Be clean inside and out.
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