Sparkling Clean

Bible Reading: Romans 3:22-26

Rosita wiped the sweat from her forehead, then got back to scrubbing the pot in the sink. She was working as hard as she could to clean the kitchen before Mom got home. They’d had a fight that morning, and Rosita was sorry for the things she’d said. I want this kitchen sparkling clean when Mom gets home from work, she thought. That’ll make up for it.

She glanced into the living room where her little brother was watching cartoons. “Ricky, bring your cup and plate here so I can wash them. And I just mopped the floor, so be careful!”

But Ricky wasn’t careful. He ran in as fast as he could and slipped when his socks hit the wet floor. His plastic dishes went flying into the air as he went sprawling across the kitchen, a mixture of milk and crumbs raining down on top of him.

Rosita gasped. “Ricky!”

Just then the door to the garage opened and Mom walked in. “Wow,” she said. “What a mess.”

Rosita covered her face with her hands and burst into tears. Mom and Ricky stared at her for a moment before Mom sent him upstairs to wash the milk out of his hair. “Rosita, what’s wrong?” Mom asked.

“I—I’ve been working hard to clean the kitchen all afternoon,” Rosita said. “I wanted everything to be sparkling clean when you got here because I felt bad about what I said this morning and wanted to make things right.”

“Oh, honey. You don’t have to clean the kitchen to make things right with me. You’re my daughter—I love you, and I’ll always forgive you. But I know the feeling. In fact, I used to try to do the same thing with God. I thought I could make up for my wrongs by doing something right. But it wasn’t enough.”

“Because the only way to make things right with God is through Jesus, right?”

“You got it,” said Mom. “When we trust in Him, He forgives our sins and makes us sparkling clean.”

Rosita nodded. “I’m sorry for what I said, Mom. Will you forgive me?”

“Of course.” Mom grabbed a mop from the closet. “And now I’m going to make this kitchen sparkling clean!” – Courtney Lasater

How About You?

Are you working hard to make things right with God? Are you doing lots of good things so He’ll forgive you for the bad things you’ve done? No matter what you do, it’s not enough to make up for your sin. But Jesus is! He died so you could be forgiven and have all your sins washed away. Confess your sin and trust in Him, and He will forgive you. See “The ABCs of Salvation” on the right side column of this page.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Today’s Key Thought:

Only Jesus makes things right