If it stinks....

We were riding in the car yesterday when I detected the odor of skunk wafting through the van. I commented to the children, "Ewww, skunk!" (Even though I secretly enjoy the aroma of skunks, in limited amounts of course). Nathaniel objected. "There's no skunk! I have excellent eyesight and I don't see a skunk. If I don't see a skunk there isn't one." Despite the olfactory evidence to the contrary, he would not change his mind. Dh and I thought it was pretty funny, as he was quite vehement in his protestations.

Isn't this how we are though, when someone confronts us with an area of sin in our lives? We don't want to admit that we have a weakness or blind spot. Despite the evidence of sin in our lives (broken relationships, strained fellowship with the Father and our peers, etc), we insist that there is no sin. Because we cannot see it. But if other folks are smelling a skunk, maybe there is one. As Proverbs 27:6 says, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted."

I am praying for courage. So the next time someone tells me they smell a skunk in my life I won't pull a Nate and insist that there isn't one because I don't see it. I want to be brave enough to accept criticism and take it to my Father, who will lovingly help me to see if it applies and use it to mold me into the likeness of His Son.