A New Lump

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

“Those loaves look so little,” Joelle said as her mother placed bread dough in pans. “Shouldn’t you put more in the pans?”

Mom shook her head. “There’s yeast in the bread dough. That will make it rise.” She set the loaves aside. “Come see them in an hour or two.”

Joelle’s friend Audrey came over a little later, and the girls decided to dress up in some of Mom’s old clothes and high heels. As Joelle teetered down the hall, she saw a small bottle of perfume on her mother’s dresser. We should have some perfume, she thought. Just a teeny bit. She wasn’t supposed to touch Mom’s things, but she slipped off her shoes and tiptoed into the bedroom. She put a little perfume on her wrist, then gave some to Audrey.

“Take a look at these loaves now, Joelle,” Mom said after Audrey had left. “They’re ready for the oven.” Joelle went to the kitchen and saw that the loaves had risen higher than the top of the pans.

Mom sniffed. “What do I smell? Did you use my perfume?”

“Uh, no,” Joelle stammered.

Just then her little sister Harper came into the kitchen. “I smell good!” She held a half-empty bottle, and she definitely did smell good! As Mom scolded Harper for using the perfume, tears filled the little girl’s eyes. “Joelle used it, so I thought I could too.”

Mom looked at Joelle. “Well, it was just a tiny bit,” Joelle said, blushing.

Mom pointed to the loaves of bread. “The small amount of yeast in the bread dough made the loaves grow big. Sin is a lot like yeast. Your sin of disobedience seemed small to you, but look what happened. It caused you to lie to me. It also spread to your little sister, who was watching you and followed your example.”

Joelle hung her head. “I’m sorry.”

“The Bible tells us to get rid of the yeast, or sin, in our lives so our actions reflect what we truly are—new lumps of dough,” Mom said. “When you trusted in Jesus, He removed your sin and gave you a new heart. Confess your sin to Him, and He’ll forgive you. Then act like the new lump you really are!” – Hazel Marett

How About You?

Do you think little sins don’t matter all that much? They do. Just like a little yeast can make a whole lump of dough rise, sin puffs up every part of our lives. That’s why Jesus died to save us—so we would be free from sin and live for Him instead. So don’t let any sin—big or small—creep into your life. Confess it to Jesus so you can live like a new lump.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out the old leaven [yeast], that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

There is no small sin