The drive from my house to work was a beautiful drive. Every day I got to drive a couple of miles through a state park and year round it was beautiful. In the winter, the snow can hang onto the tree limbs that outline the road. In the spring the new growth was amazing. In the fall, the changing of the colors is a site to see. I love it.
It was beautiful until something happened to ruin it – well, at least a part of it. Someone accidentally ran over a skunk. I know it was an accident because no one would ever do such a crazy thing on purpose.
For the next few days, when I drove down that beautiful road there was a section of the drive that stunk. I have seen policemen pull over and remove the bodies of dead animals from the highways, but no one removed the dead skunk. I am reminded of several truths from this incident.
1. A mess is a mess, even when it is an accident.
Many people excuse every terrible thing they have done with a “I didn’t mean to.” Children think that an apology is all it takes to make everything okay. I sometimes appreciate an apology, but a stink is still a stink. Do not focus on the word “sometimes” in the last sentence. A true apology is always appreciated, but there are people who apologize, but never try to fix anything. That is not a real apology.
2. Sometime things happen in life that you can’t fix.
No one wanted to clean up the mess, so we just have to wait till it goes away on its own. David asked for forgiveness from his sin. God forgave him, but the sword never departed from his house. Jacob wrestled with an angel till the angel touched him in the hip and for the rest of his life he limped. Even with forgiveness there are often consequences.
3. The smell will eventually go away.
Right now it may seem like you will never get past your problem. Don’t be impatient, this too will pass. I love the fellow who was asked what his favorite Bible verse was and he quoted “it came to pass.” What ever your hard spot is, it will pass. It always does. The phrase “it came to pass” is found 453 times in the KJV.
In your life, this skunk too will pass.
Lonnie Davis
HeartWord – Psalm 118-24
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”