The Check Up

Take care of your toothies!

November 20

Yesterday, I sat in the dental chair for my semi-annual cleaning.  As the hygienist scraped away the unwanted plaque, my fists were clenched and my body tensed.  While I knew this process was good for my health, it was not enjoyable.  The correlation to the repenting of sin came to mind.  No fun, but good for our souls.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace 

for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

Chuckling to myself, I thought back to dental appointments in the "olden days" (my school days).  In my purse (we didn't have backpacks) would be toothpaste and a toothbrush.  Before heading to the dental office I would slip into the school bathroom and scrub away in hopes the dentist would not be able to see my lack of flossing and brushing.  The last minute outward action could not hide what was happening on the inside.
Is there a correlation to our spiritual lives?  Are we putting on pretenses outwardly hoping to fool the others and the Lord?

The Lord does not look at the things people look at.

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

 Just as the dental x-rays expose the formation of cavities, irregularities and gum disease, God's Word does a good job of convicting us of the areas of weakness in our hearts. If we don't go to the dentist we will not reap the benefits of early detection and correction.  If we don't position ourselves daily to read and/or hear God's Word we will miss the early detection signs of sin.

We can brighten our teeth and make them look good from the outside, but inwardly decay and disease my be causing destruction.  We can get up Sunday morning and go sit in a pew, but if God's Word is not daily penetrating our minds and our hearts; and we are not humbling ourselves and repenting, sin may be rampantly ruining God's plan for our lives.

Lord, we come before you today for a check-up!