FEBRUARY 18, Psalm 101:3 

“Oh, please, Mom,” begged Sharon. “Can’t I watch the Internet video Erika keeps telling me about?”

“No, you can’t,” replied Mom as she added chocolate to the cake batter. “It’s not acceptable for a Christian to watch that kind of video.”

“I’d watch it just this once,” whined Sharon. “Erika says it’s really exciting.” She glanced at her mother. “She says you should let me watch a few things like that. She thinks I have such old-fashioned ideas.” When her mother still didn’t say anything, Sharon added, “Erika says this video gives her a taste of reality. Besides, we’ve never watched it, so why do you think it’s so awful? Erika says some of the others are a lot worse.”

“Please get a scoop of dirt from the garden and put it into this cake batter,” said Mom, holding out the sugar scoop.

Sharon started to reach for it, but stopped as she realised what her mother had said. Sharon frowned. “Dirt from the garden?” she asked. “What for? You don’t really want me to put that dirt in the cake!”

“You’re right! It’s way too dirty,” agreed Mom. “Still… are you sure we wouldn’t like it? We’ve never tried it. But let’s not use the garden dirt. Instead, get a scoop of that nice, white sand from Ben’s sandbox. That’s new, so it’s not very dirty.” Sharon stared at her mother. “Dirt is still dirt!” she exclaimed. “And you don’t want any dirt in this cake?” asked Mom. “Not even ‘clean’ dirt - just to give it a taste of reality?”

Sharon saw the twinkle in her mother’s eyes. “Okay, Mom,” she said with a sigh. “I get the point.”

“Good,” said Mom. “The recipe for this cake lists the things that should go into it, and it does not include dirt of any kind. Our recipe for life-the things we need to put into our lives-should not include any kind of ‘dirt,’ either. Everything we see and hear affects us, whether we think so or not, so we should do our best to make sure it’s all pleasing to God.”

Thought: May I always follow Gods’ recipe, for it is the best!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know many of my friends may consider some things that aren’t good as acceptable, just because they aren’t as bad as many other things. Remind me that there’s no such thing as clean dirt, and there’s no such thing as acceptable sin. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.