Every time I get out of the shower and look in the mirror, I see it. I had a nasty burn on my right side, a couple of months ago, and it's left a mark. I have no idea if it's permanent or not. My bikini days are over, so I don't guess it really matters. It kind of looks like a birth mark. In the shape of South Carolina. For weeks, I looked at it, every day, and knew the shape reminded me of a state and then it dawned on me, one day. South Carolina. I have South Carolina branded on my right side just below my rib cage.  

Joni, how in the world did you burn yourself under your rib cage in the shape of South Carolina, you might ask? Well, I have one of those small, personal steamers, you see. I just love it. Actually, I hardly ever iron anymore. I just steam everything. Well, the steamer instructions state in bold print that you should never steam an item of clothing, while it's being worn. Clearly, that warning is in there for amateur steamers. For steamers, who aren't clever enough to know that you can hold your shirt or dress far away from your body and steam it while wearing it if, say, just the bottom portion is wrinkled.

Pshhhh. Don't steam clothing while it's being worn. Whatever you say, steamer instruction people. You're the same kind of people, who tell us not to operate a letter opener without safety goggles and not to use Q-tips in our ear canals. Don't insult our abilities to figure out ways to use your products without maiming ourselves. I mean, we're the generation that rode our bikes down steep asphalt hills at 40 mph without a helmet and our mamas put their arms out to catch us in the car, because the seatbelts were stuffed somewhere deep down in the seats...unseen for years. We know how to survive, ok?
     
Well, during all my years of wrinkle eradication, I'd become quite a pro at steaming while wearing. I only really did it when I'd already gotten dressed and noticed some crease on the front of my top that needed a little attention. Not for big jobs, of course. Just quick touch-ups. I've also been known to squat way down and spread the front of the shirt I'm wearing over the top of the ironing board, but that's an ironing story and this is a steaming story day. We'll save that one.

Anyway, on this one particular day, I was running late and noticed I had a wrinkle on the front of my top. I had my hair and makeup done and just didn't have time to take off my shirt and tend to it, so I, once again, engaged in the "risky behavior" of steaming while wearing. I held my shirt way out and steamed on the left side and then down at the bottom and then I saw a little wrinkle on the right side.
Well, somehow in the transfer from one hand to the other, the steamer got away from me and fell against my side.

Oh, the pain. It blistered and throbbed and hurt every time my clothes would rub against it. After two or three weeks, it finally healed, but I still have the silhouette of South Carolina to remember the whole unpleasant experience.

Every time I catch a glimpse of my "scar" in the mirror, I can't help but think about sin. God gave us warnings about things we shouldn't do. He spelled them out in black and white for everyone to see. He gave those to us to protect us from the painful effects of sin.

Some of the instructions, well, we wouldn't dream of ignoring.....like murdering. The chance of me murdering someone is about the same as the chance that I'll sit in a bathtub of water while drying my hair. Now, that's a warning label I'd never ignore. Somethings, we're just not ever going to do. The deed is too inconceivable. Our sense of right and wrong would never allow it. The consequences would just be too great.

Other behaviors, deemed off limits, don't seem quite as bad, though. I mean, if you handle them right and don't get too careless, you can convince yourself that you can get away with ignoring the warnings and keep from getting burned. As long as you know what you're doing, right? Like me with the steamer.

When we ignore God's instructions, there will be a time when we'll feel the consequence of that behavior. It may or may not happen the first time we stick our foot over the line, but, eventually, there will come a time when we'll be hurt by our sin. Sometimes, we feel like we "get away" with disobeying and, other times, the consequences can change our lives forever or someone else's. There may always be a scar that remains with us even after the pain is gone. No matter if we feel the full effects of our sin here on earth or not, we'll all have to answer for every one of our words and deeds, one day.

The little man sitting in his cubicle at the steamer factory thought about all the possibilities that could occur with his wonderful invention and wrote out specific instructions and warnings to the consumer, so that we'd know how to navigate the use of his product without injuring others or ourselves....in the shape of South Carolina or other states of the Union. He wanted us to safely enjoy all the advantages and conveniences of the product, but within the safe confines of the instructions.

God, the creator of the universe, did the same thing when He wrote out His instruction manual. He wanted us to get all the benefits and blessings from this life that He lovingly designed without experiencing the painful repercussions of ignoring His warnings and directions. He knew there would be plenty of knuckleheads, who'd think they could handle overlooking parts of the manual and would end up with the Palmetto state forever burned into their torsos.

Guilty.

We all mess up. Thank goodness He had a plan B for the knucklehead in all of us.

"He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people....." Titus 2:14    

Y'all have a great weekend!