One of our local stores provides paper bags in the freezer department and I used one for my ice cream the other day. In the past, the bags have been nice and strong but they have gotten rather thin in recent months. As I was checking out with my purchases, the cashier lifted the bag and a section tore out, which got us talking about the bags. I mentioned that they really didn't serve their purpose as far as keeping things cold, but they did mange to hide my ice cream so everyone would see only the good things I was purchasing and think I was making healthy choices rather than buying junk food.
A few minutes later I heard a voice to the side saying "She's getting ice cream isn't she?" I turned to see a friend from church and her little granddaughter gazing into the bag the cashier had placed in the bottom portion of my cart. I had to laugh as I commented that the bag didn't even work for hiding my ice cream.
That event got me to thinking. Just as I was trying to hide the junk food, I sometimes try to hide the sin in my life. I don't want my family and friends to know that I mess up, so I choose earthly "bags" to hide my actions. My Heavenly Father though, who knows all things and knows my heart, can see what's hiding in the "bag". Too often I've bought into the wrong things and sometimes it hurts when He stands there at the end of the checkout telling me what He sees. It hurts me to hear the truth, but it hurts Him too because those things disrupt my relationship with Him.
As hard as it is, I'm glad He opens the "bags" and tells me what He sees in them. In doing that, He gives me the opportunity to confess my sins, become clean, and try again.
