Dirt and Rotted Wood

I'm getting ready to head to Leesville tonight and speak for Leesville High School's Principal's Banquet. Yes, I know it's the night before our Disciple Now here. Yes, I know I still need more preparation. Yes, I know it will take time to travel there and back. But yes, I also know that a stewardship has been entrusted to me by God. But yes, I also know that there are people who will be there tonight who are still enslaved to sin. But yes, I know that my desire is the same as Paul's: "Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me" (Col. 1:28-29). May we order our lives for the sake of the Gospel.
Now - about dirt and rotted wood. As I was preparing to leave this morning, I noticed how filthy my truck was. I decided to give it a quick wash. While trying to clean all the grime off the wheels, I realized if I had done this at least once in the past year, then the job would not be as difficult. Instead, I let month after month of road refuse cake on the wheels so that the chrome shine was nowhere to be seen. The exercise caused me to think of the sin that we often live with and less often deal with. The longer we let sin be a part of our lives, the more difficult and painful it is to get rid of it. 1 Thess. 4 reminds us that God's will for our life is our sanctification. God help us to kill sin and not just cultivate it. May your glory shine through us and not be blocked by the sin in us.
Now about the wood . . . as I was cleaning the tires I noticed that a triangular piece of wood had fallen off the eaves of our house. When I picked it up it was rotted. I was immediately reminded of the fleeting nature of material things and all the effort it takes to maintain them. May we not waste our lives solely on acquiring and maintaining things that are rotting. May we set our hearts and minds on things above.