Whitewashed?

Dear Friends,

As we are nearing the end of our 30 Day Proverbs Challenge, I hope that you have found treasures of practical Truth that encourage, guide, and instruct you in your daily journey. As I look back on my journal notes, it is interesting to see how the Holy Spirit directed me to certain verses or passages within that day’s chapter, and how the Truth revealed was just what I needed to receive that day.

Today’s verse, Proverbs 28:13 states, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (NIV), and The Message Bible restates it this way, “You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it; you find mercy by admitting and leaving them.”

The Warning: If we conceal (whitewash, cover, hide, ignore, justify, or give excuses to) our sins, then we are walking blindly down a dangerous path and it is only a matter of time till we will fall into the pits, the potholes, the consequences of our sin.

The Wisdom: If we confess (acknowledge, admit, share, state, illuminate) and renounce (leave, turn from, repent, forsake) our sins, then we will find mercy.

All of us can think of our own experiences and say “How true.” Yet, as we nod our head in agreement, it is lesson we continually relearn. Initially we learn this lesson through obvious sins: lying, stealing, cheating, rebellion, and destructive habits, then later we relearn it through issues of pride, self-righteousness, apathy, gossip, slander, ignorance, etc.

A prayer of wisdom “Lord, today may I listen to your Holy Spirit to uncover those sins that I have concealed, and give me the courage to admit and confess my sin to you, then turn from them and leave them at your feet.” I stand upon the unchanging promises of God for mercy in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Blessings,
Pastor Tim