Ugly Backyards

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:14-16

“This is such a nice area!” Laura said as her father drove down an unfamiliar street. “The houses and yards are so clean and pretty. But…what’s that stuff?” She pointed to some heavy equipment visible behind the homes.

“They’re going to build houses in the field back there,” Dad replied. “The streets are already in place. Let’s take a look.” Dad turned the corner and they drove onto one of the new streets. “This street is behind the pretty houses we just saw. Now you can see their backyards.”

“No way!” Laura said, noticing heaps of junk, tall weeds, and peeling paint. “Look how messy and ugly some of them are! Those can’t be the same houses.” But she knew Dad was right. From the front, the houses and yards were tidy and pretty, but from the back, it was a different story for many. “Why do some people leave their backyards so ugly?” Laura asked.

“I don’t know,” Dad said as he started driving toward home. “But our lives can be like that too.”

“What do you mean?” asked Laura.

“Well, when we’re out in public, we may keep weeds of unkindness and rudeness pulled, and we might have a fresh coat of cheerfulness on our faces. But what about all that goes on where we think nobody sees? Do we have a trash pile of complaints there? Or a heap of anger and unkind thoughts?”

Laura blushed. She recalled that she had been patient and kind with her pastor’s young son the day before, but when she got home, she had yelled at her own little brother and locked him out of her room. “So how do we clean up our backyards?” she asked.

“By confessing our sins to Jesus,” Dad replied. “He’ll clean out the junk in our lives so we’ll be like beautiful, welcoming houses all the way around.”

As they turned into their driveway, Laura glimpsed her little brother swinging in the backyard. “I’m going to go play with Wesley a little while,” she said, getting out of the car. As she walked across the grass, she said a silent prayer. Dear Jesus, I have some backyard cleaning I need you to do… – Jessica Dorfsmith

How About You?

What does your life’s backyard look like? Is it littered with ugly attitudes, unsightly heaps of unkindness, and shabby moodiness? Even though it might not be visible to many people, Jesus sees it. Ask Him to do a clean-up! Confess your sins to Him and accept His forgiveness. Then depend on Him to help you do what’s right.

Today’s Key Verse:
Psalm 19:12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus cleans up sin