Sewage in the Basement
The week we bought our house, the dryer caught on fire and sewage backed up into our basement. While we had both owned houses previously, this
was our first house together as a married couple and my new husband was
less than enthused with all the "blessings" it so quickly bestowed upon
us. As we were navigating problem solving together many years ago, we
thought we found resolution to the dryer and sewer issues. But last
night, our house decided to bless us again - not with fire, but sewage!
My oldest was in the shower when the problem started to occur. Thankfully, I was downstairs and began frantically screaming for him to get out of the shower before the mess got too out of hand. In a couple hours time, I had cleaned up much of the problem. Ironically, the outside of our home is really coming along. We're adding on and building a large addition that includes a guest home, 3 season room, and baseball field. Some people around town joke that we're building a compound.
From the road, our property gives a certain impression. We've been accused of being rich. We've been accused of being materialistic. We've been accused of thinking we're better than other people. Some will even stop by because they want to see what the inside of our house looks like. But I chuckle because while the outside of our home may look a certain way, many would never guess we have sewage in our basement! That old saying applies well here, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Other than the sewage, which is a passing problem, our furniture is falling apart. I have literally tied together our couches and nailed up our chairs. The bottoms of our dresser drawers are falling out, and at the moment, clutter is everywhere. My house isn't always messy, but it is messy more often than it is not. The outward appearance of our house usually does not match the inward reality. And so it is with people.
The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." We can put on a show all day long and let people believe certain things about us, but we can never fool God. If our outward appearance tells others that we've got it all together and that we think we're better than the next person, God still sees the sewage in our heart. I don't enjoy having a messy house and I don't want a dirty heart. The outward stuff is all going to pass away, but our souls are eternal. Often I pray this prayer so that God will help me clean up the inside parts of my life,
From the road, our property gives a certain impression. We've been accused of being rich. We've been accused of being materialistic. We've been accused of thinking we're better than other people. Some will even stop by because they want to see what the inside of our house looks like. But I chuckle because while the outside of our home may look a certain way, many would never guess we have sewage in our basement! That old saying applies well here, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Other than the sewage, which is a passing problem, our furniture is falling apart. I have literally tied together our couches and nailed up our chairs. The bottoms of our dresser drawers are falling out, and at the moment, clutter is everywhere. My house isn't always messy, but it is messy more often than it is not. The outward appearance of our house usually does not match the inward reality. And so it is with people.
The Bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." We can put on a show all day long and let people believe certain things about us, but we can never fool God. If our outward appearance tells others that we've got it all together and that we think we're better than the next person, God still sees the sewage in our heart. I don't enjoy having a messy house and I don't want a dirty heart. The outward stuff is all going to pass away, but our souls are eternal. Often I pray this prayer so that God will help me clean up the inside parts of my life,
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Psalm 139:23-24
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