The Forgotten Smudge
THE FORGOTTEN SMUDGE
Read James 1:22-27.
Madison was ready for Sunday school—at least she thought she was. “Oh no,” she said with a sigh. “How did I get that?” She had seen herself in the hallway mirror. There was a dark smudge across her forehead.
As Madison went to wash off the smudge, three-year-old Kara stopped her. “Madison, help me put on my shoes, please.” So Madison helped her sister and forgot the smudge.
On the way to church they passed the home of Gabrielle, a new girl on their street. Madison knew she should have told Gabrielle about Sunday school, but she had not done so. Madison thought, She probably wouldn’t come anyway.
When Madison walked into her classroom, her friend Jennifer laughed. “You didn’t wash your face!” Madison remembered the smudge on her forehead and hurried to wash it off.
When Madison returned, the teacher was reading from Scripture about a man who looked in a mirror. But when he left the mirror he forgot what he’d seen. That’s like me this morning, Madison thought, holding back a giggle.
“When you learn what God wants you to do but you don’t obey it,” the teacher said, “you’re like that man. You see what God’s Word says, but you don’t do anything about it.”
Madison thought about a smudge in her life—something she knew God wanted her to do but she hadn’t done. She would go see Gabrielle after church.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you have any forgotten “smudges” in your life? Has God shown you from His Word that you should not lie? Cheat? Lose your temper? Has He shown you that you should be friendly? Helpful? Obedient? It’s wonderful that you are learning how God wants you to live. But when you look in the mirror of God’s Word, don’t forget what you see there.
TO MEMORIZE:
Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
James 1:22
DO WHAT GOD SAYS.
From the book
