Stain: “a discoloration produced by foreign matter having penetrated into or chemically reacted with a material; a spot not easily removed.” (Dictionary.com)Reflection -
“Stain” is usually a negative word. But... depends on the perspective. Is the “stain” & irritation we have left the result of penetrating a fallen condition with the bold love of God?
I was thinking about oil. It sure can be a nuisance. It can be one of the most difficult things to clean... at times ... virtually impossible.
That can be an encouragement if you continue my little parable of oil and water. Those choosing to live lives free from shifting-exterior-alternating-charges are oil. Others are water or water-soluble.
Most of life is water soluble so oil is an irritant. It makes “things” messy. Its nature forces separations. It stains. Even doing nothing, it’s very existence disturbs the natural order of the water-soluble world.
Jesus warns, “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division” (Luke 12:51).
Here is my parabolic picture. Jesus has come dropping oil into a water-soluble world. It causes separations. It also causes stains.
God made me oil. I can rest that the divisions that were caused, are not necessarily my fault. God has made the environment for this to happen not because of a wrong on my part but possibly because of correctly living in my nature.
Also, I can also rest knowing I leave a stain in my absence. The gospel is powerful. God’s nature in us leaves a mark. Even if I am prevented from returning to a relationship, our “skid-mark” will remain. What God will do with it, is His knowledge alone.
Self-reflection question:
•Is my godly nature leaving a mark (in which case it is different and will leave a mark)? Or, am I simply leaving a bitter mark of my sinful nature (which only adds to the presence of sinful nature already present)? (As a gross aside: I chose the word "skid mark" on purpose: we could be leaving a tire mark as we "brake" bad habits or we could be leaving crap.)
Prayer -
Lord, help me to trust you with my personality. Help me to not diffuse who you made me to be to accommodate everyone and everything. Instead, help me to trust you when divisions are caused... knowing you have a good plan and that my presence was purposeful. At the same time, help me not to use this as an accuse to be cavalier and unthoughtful. Help me to leave marks of YOU when divisions are caused, not marks of my own sinfulness. On the flip side again Lord, divisions that are caused do not leave pleasant feelings on either side. And, I am imperfect Lord. Help me to trust you then with my personality but also with my failures. Help me not to live life paralyzed by over-analysis but to move forward with You, my Savior.
