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Thursday, December 29, 2005

"Self-examination"

"But let a man examine himself" (1 Corinthians 11:28a).

Yesterday I tracked in some undesirable material on my shoe. Apparently I had stepped in it while walking in my back yard. This brought to memory an experience I had many years ago.

It began when we had taken Ester to her pediatrician and we were in the waiting room. I have a pretty sensitive nose and smelled a dirty diaper type smell. I commented to Brooksyne about it and she observed that perhaps someone had recently changed a diaper. I looked around and thought, "They sure don't keep this place very clean."

Later in the day I was holding Ester and I smelled it again. I thought, "Wow, she sure needs to take a bath." As the day went on there were a few other times when I caught the smell and I was so frustrated that I couldn't determine the source.

Well, that evening I finally found the source when I took off my shoes. I discovered I had some doggie doo doo on them and had been walking around with it all day long.

Paul's simple command in our daily text is set in the context of the Lord's Table. However I believe it's also good general advice. As we go through life we will smell various scents, both pleasant and unpleasant. We are tempted to assume the unpleasant must be someone else. We better check ourselves first!

Be encouraged today,

Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's prayer: Jesus, as You test me in the day to day activities of my life You are also examining my heart and my mind. So often when I fail I cast the blame on someone else or the circumstances at the time. Give me the courage to look within and invite the spiritual scrub brush of Your Holy Word to do the needed cleansing. Your love is ever before me and Your power is always available to me as I walk continually in Your truth!

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