A Clean Slate

Bible Reading: Psalm 32:1-5

"Look what I got at Avani’s birthday party, Axel!” Olivia took a magic slate out of a mesh bag and began scribbling on it as they drove home. “Now watch,” she said as she lifted the top plastic sheet. “Look! The writing is all gone.” As Olivia talked, her older brother simply stared out the window.

“Is something wrong, Axel?” asked Mom.

“No.” Axel lapsed into silence again.

Now you’ve told another lie, his conscience said. That makes two.

Axel sighed deeply. It doesn’t matter. It was such a little lie, he argued with his conscience—but he couldn’t win the argument.

“I…I told Dad a lie yesterday,” Axel blurted out. “I’m the one who dented his car. I hit it with my bat when Jason and I were batting in the yard. I said Jason did it.”

Mom was silent for a moment. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said softly. “What are you going to do about it?”

Olivia was busy with her magic slate and wasn’t paying any attention to the conversation. “Look what I did!” she said. “I put a cat’s tail on a rabbit!” She giggled. “Oops! I’ll erase it and start over.” Again she lifted the top plastic sheet, and like magic, her picture of the rabbit with a long tail disappeared.

Mom smiled and spoke to Axel again. “We’ve all sinned, and that’s something like drawing the wrong thing on a magic slate. When we trust Jesus as our Savior, He erases all our sin. But when we do something wrong, it can seem to us as though our slates—our hearts—are no longer clean. It gets in the way of us enjoying our relationship with God, and sometimes with other people—in this case, your dad. Tell both Dad and the Lord what you told me. Let them know you’re sorry, and thank Jesus for making the slate clean.”

“Okay,” said Axel with a sigh. “But Dad warned me about lying. I’m sure he won’t just say it’s all okay.”

“No, but he’ll forgive you, and you’ll have a clear conscience,” said Mom. “Accept the discipline he gives and learn from it.”

Olivia smoothed the plastic sheet. “This time I’m going to do it right.”

“Me too, Olivia,” said Axel. “Me too.”

-Barbara J. Westberg

How About You?

Have you told a lie? Cheated? Made fun of someone? Disobeyed? Confess that sin to Jesus, and He’ll forgive you. Thank Him for a clean slate—a clean heart—and for His Holy Spirit, who convicts your conscience when you do wrong. If what you did affects someone else, tell that person you’re sorry too. Thank God that fellowship with Him and with others is restored when you confess your sin and ask for forgiveness.

Today's Key Verse: Psalm 32:5 I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt…And you forgave me! (NLT)

Today's Key Thought:

Confess sin