Dirty Laundry

We are trying to sell our house. So when we have the showings, I have to make sure the house looks like nobody lives there. Which seems odd but OK, I’ll do it. Everything in its place. But there is always that one problem. Where do you stash the dirty laundry at a moments notice? A friend told me to just put it in a laundry basket and throw it in your car. So I tried it yesterday. I drove around all day doing errands with two baskets of dirty laundry in my car. I stopped home once, forgot it was in there, and headed off again with the dirty laundry. Every time I came out of a store and walked up to the car I saw it. I couldn’t escape it. I was embarrassed and felt a little ashamed.

Hmm…

Isn’t that a lot like when we carry around resentments? When we find it hard to forgive? When we want revenge on someone who has hurt us and we can’t let go. It’s like carrying around dirty laundry. Our house might look perfect, we look perfect to the outside, but on the inside it’s always there bothering us, making us feel a little ashamed.

God says “Vengeance is mine, I will repay. If possible on your part, live at peace with all.” It’s hard to do but worth the effort. Give your hurts to God and let him sort it out.

You might be able to hide your dirty laundry from others but you can’t hide it from God. Sooner or later you have to come clean!

Scripture Verses:

Leviticus 19:18
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

Ephesians 4:31-32
All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you deal with hurts and resentments?
2. Who, in your life, are you finding it hard to forgive?
3. How have you experienced God’s forgiveness?
4. Is there someone from whom you need to seek forgiveness?
5. Is there something for which you need to forgive yourself so that you can move forward?

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