The itch of sin

Have you ever let your hair get much dirtier than you should? (Don’t worry, this isn’t a personal-hygiene homily!) On Monday my hair really needed washing – but I reckoned I could get away with it, so I didn’t bother. On Tuesday, it really, really needed a wash – but I ran out of time. So on Wednesday, it really, really, really needed washing – but…

Yuck. But it got me thinking.

On Monday, I was probably the only person who knew there was a problem. The slight itch of my scalp and lankness to my hair. On Tuesday, my scalp itched quite a bit more and the hair was greasy. But I knew only a couple of observant women (and none of the men!) would notice. Even by Wednesday, I’m confident many people didn’t spot a thing. But I knew. I could feel the constant itch.

And it made me wonder if sin can be a bit like that. A “little” sin that probably no one sees. It grows a bit, but you’d have to be looking hard to spot it. We can feel the itch, but it’s barely noticeable to others. So we ignore the itch and keep on sinning. That’s the thing about itching – it’s always there but you can usually ignore it, for a while at least. So the sin may have multiplied and got a firm hold before anyone else sees it and holds us accountable (if they ever do).

So it got me thinking. Am I itching? Is there stuff I secretly know I need to repent of but am choosing to ignore? It’s hidden from others, so I pretend I don’t see it either. Do I need to bring it to the Lord? It’s not an accident that the Bible pictures forgiveness as being washed clean – the filth of sin being scrubbed away. Washing my hair on Wednesday evening felt great. Clean hair and no more itching. But the itch of sin is much worse. And forgiveness feels indescribably better.