Something Stinks!  (Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

"Come on, Angela, Try it," coaxed Carol after taking a puff from a cigarette Jane had passed to her.

Angela shook her head. "No thanks." She knew that smoking was harmful to the body and displeasing to God, but she didn't say anything about that. Carol and Jane were popular at school, and Angela was thrilled to be considered part of their gang.

Later, Angela held her hand over her nose as she entered her grandparents' kitchen. "What's that horrible smell?" she wants to know.

"Smell?" asked Grandpa as he seated himself at the kitchen table. "Oh, you must smell the sauerkraut we had for lunch. It has a strong odor, but we've gotten so used to it that we don't smell it anymore.

"What's sauerkraut?" asked Angela.

"Sauerkraut is a German word that means 'sour cabbage,'"replied Grandma.

"It smells awful!" declared Angela. "I think I need a clothes pin for my nose."

Grandpa laughed. Then he said thoughtfully, "It reminds me of sin, Angela. When we're first saved, we often are very aware of sin it's as though we can 'smell' how horrible it is. But if we stay around it long enough, we get used to the 'smell,' and it doesn't bother us anymore."

"And another thing," added Grandma, "the smell of sauerkraut can get into our clothes, and it gets on my hands when I prepare it. Sin is like that, too. the 'stink' of sin can rub off on us if we're around it long enough."

Angela suddenly remembered that occasionally, without meaning to, she would say a swear word she heard her friends use. Could this be a sin she couldn't "smell" anymore, one that had rubbed off on her? In fact, Carol and Jane did quite a few things Angela knew were wrong. Maybe being around them was dulling her "sense of smell." Being part of their gang might not be so great after all. E.C.O.

How about you? - Co you have friends who are doing things you know are wrong? Maybe you find yourself doing those same things so they'll accept you. If that's the case, perhaps you should reconsider whom you should have for close friends.

Key: Sin Stinks

Memorize: "Don't be teamed with those who do not love the lord, for what do the people of God have in common with the people of sin?" 2Corinthians 6:14, TLB

This is out of the book "The One Year Book of Devotions for Kids"  BUY IT  Copyright @ 1993 Children's Bible Hour

Updated 1/16/01