Living in a brand-new house accentuates even the smallest of flaws. Since everything is newly constructed and freshly painted, the imperfections, nicks and dirt really stand out. Mostly I notice and cringe at damage such as scratches on the wall or dings on moulding. Some of it happened even as the movers brought in our stuff and I won’t rant about those gashes, but most of the marks are from day-to-day wear that will occur in any home. We are the first residents, and our living here spoils the perfection and brings in dust and SAND!
These new blemishes remind me of a sermon I heard our former Pastor preach. Based on a verse* from the book Song of Solomon, he talked about the danger of “the little foxes” in our lives, those ‘little’ sins we consider harmless. But the verse goes on to say that the foxes spoil the vine and need to be caught before they harm the grapes. Fox cubs may seem innocuous in a garden, but they are destructive enough to ruin a vineyard and probably a year’s livelihood.
Could the “little foxes” be the seemingly minor sins like partial disclosure, grumbling, resentment or discontent, the wayward eye? Those aren’t The Big Ten anyway! But the Bible tells us that all commandments matter and a “spoiled vine” turns into a dead plant or at least one without fruit, rather useless. Little sins, like little stains, taint and must be cleaned up quickly.
As I researched for this blog post, I came across an interesting application from a good Bible resource called GotQuestions.org: “Take preventative measures to protect this love from anything that could harm it.” “Little foxes that spoil the vine” is out of one of the Bible’s love stories, Song of Solomon. The “little foxes” directive may refer to relationships or marriage. The little things like harsh words, going to bed angry, unforgiveness and selfishness badly mar relationships quite quickly, like the gash from a table leg on a spotless hallway wall! I was surprised to realize this context and it was a reminder I needed to hear.
I will have to live with a house that gets dirty and damaged but spiritually we lean on Jesus’ power to rid us of thoughts and actions that spoil our lives. *Song of Solomon 2:15
