Skunk army: The ‘smell’ of sin

SKUNK army What do our sins ‘smell like’ to God?

Image by sipa from Pixabay

By Scott Riggan

I awoke at 3:30 in the morning, suddenly aware that we had a visitor at our house. A very unwelcome visitor: a skunk.

Now this happens occasionally out in the country where we live, but this time the stench was unbelievable. It was so bad I thought I was going to be sick. I jumped out of bed to close the window – but the window was already closed. It was almost as if the skunk had gotten into the house – it was that bad.

I don’t know much about skunks, but as incredibly foul as the smell was, I wondered: do skunks travel in packs? Because we couldn’t be dealing with a single individual. … This had to be the work of a skunk army or something.

I think most of what I know about skunks comes from the movie “Bambi.” Remember that cute little skunk named Flower? I now have reason to suspect that this depiction may have been mere fiction.

Lying there in bed I started wondering: how can a skunk stand itself? Does it just get used to the smell? Or does it actually like it? Maybe for a skunk that smell is actually pleasant – like smelling roses or pine trees. We perceive the smell as Pure Evil Nastiness, while they perceive it as a beautiful aroma?

SEEMINGLY UNRELATED CONFESSION: A couple of weeks ago, I told a very small lie.

I was talking to a complete stranger who asked me an extremely personal question. I could’ve just said, “Hey now, that’s off limits, dude…”, but instead I gave him an answer to shut him up. I lied. And, I have to admit, that lie really didn’t bother me much.

So I was thinking about the fact that I didn’t seem to feel guilty about that lie, which then raised the question: how seriously do I take sin?

We know that God can’t tolerate sin – that it is an “offense” to him. So maybe we should think of it this way: sin is a stench in the

nostrils of God.

Yes, I just typed the phrase “nostrils of God.” But stay with me for a minute. Our sins are an offense. Like, perhaps, the smell of a skunk. I think sometimes we imagine that God is looking down from Heaven, watching all of the hijinks we get up to and saying, “Oh, those naughty rascals. I wish they would just behave.” But we figure He’s not really bothered much by our sins. Certainly not the “little” ones. We need – no, I need to – remember that it was because of my sins that Christ died. God Scott Riggan doesn’t regard sin casually. He takes it very seriously. We know this because of the very costly way He arranged for our forgiveness through Christ. My “little lie” may not have hurt anybody, but my integrity takes a hit every time I’m willing to be less than honest. After the skunk incident, I asked my young kids to help me paraphrase Isaiah 1:18 (“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow”) and they came up with: “Though your sins stink like a skunk, they shall be made to smell like roses” (my son Josiah), and “… made to smell like molten chocolate” (my daughter Emily) and “… cookies baking” (Josiah again). Thankfully, God does forgive us for our failures. And He is continually shaping us into His image. Lord forgive us for our casual attitude about the things that offend You. n Scott Riggan lives with his family on a small ranch in Emmett. He recorded a new album in 2021 titled “Beautiful and Terrible.” Go to scottriggan.com for more information.

Thomas Paine Continued from page 32

Shortly thereafter a rhyme to Paine’s memory emerged:

“Poor Tom Paine! There he lies:

Nobody laughs and nobody cries.

Where he has gone or how he fares,

Nobody knows and nobody cares.”

And yet the psalmist penned a more fitting epitaph to Thomas Paine’s life – and anyone else who dares to reject (and destroy the foundations of) faith, revelation and God Almighty (Psalm 11:2-6):

“For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? The Lord is in his Dr. Rick Chromey holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot.”

We should all heed the “scorching wind” and “pain” of Thomas. His life revealed the folly of a godless existence in an age of reason. Despite growing up during the First Great Awakening – a period of Christian revival that spiritually transformed Colonial America – Paine chose willful ignorance and insolence. Thomas knew the Truth that could set him free. And while he never went so far as to deny God, he still rejected Him. Ultimately, Thomas Paine chose the path of the fool. Surprisingly, the man who penned “Common Sense” proved in the end to have none himself. n Dr. Rick Chromey helps people interpret history, navigate culture and explore faith. He’s an author, historian, professor, and founder/ president of MANNA! Educational Services International. Rick and his wife Linda live in Star, ID. Rick is available to speak and train for your event. Readers are also invited to subscribe to the Morning MANNA! inspirational and educational (M-F) email. Visit www.mannasolutions.org.

Sources:

1. Read Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Common_Sense/SV0PAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=common+sense+by+thomas+paine&printsec=frontcover 2. Franklin’s Letter to Paine: Jared Sparks, “The Works of Benjamin Franklin,” (Boston: Tappan, Whittemore, and Mason, 1840), Vol. X, pp. 281-282. 3. Samuel Adams’ Letter to Paine (1802): http://thomaspaine.org/letters/other/to-the-editor-of-the-national-intelligencer-january-1-1803.html 4. Read Elias Boudinot’s response to Paine: “The Age of Revelation” (1801): https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Age_of_Revelation/eHcrAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=elias+boudinot+ag e+of+revelation&printsec=frontcover

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YOUR Daily Bread Is The Great Resignation calling you?

By Terry Frisk

Covid has caused many of us to change the way we work. Some of us worked from home and met with others through virtual meetings. Many people could not work remotely and faced work disruptions as their employers were forced to shut down. People who were considered essential workers faced an increased workload and stress brought on by challenges in serving the needs of their employer. All this upheaval lead to people rethinking their career paths. As a result, a record number of people are leaving their jobs in what is being referred to as The Great Resignation.

Television news network CNN reported 68.9 million Americans separated from their employer during 2021, 47.4 million of which were people who voluntarily quit their jobs. While some of those who quit were baby boomers who were retiring or parents opting to take care of their children instead of working, most were people seeking to improve their employment opportunities.

God created us to work to serve Him by serving others. Just after creating Adam, God put him to work taking care of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15). Work gives us life filled with meaning and value. In Ecclesiastes we learn:

“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil – this is the gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

God calls each of us to do the work we do. Regardless of your job title, He sees the value in your efforts. While we are serving our employer, we often forget that we are also serving our co-workers, the people who use the goods and services we produce, the vendors whose employees’ livelihoods depend on the purchases from our employer, our community that we support through our purchases and the ministries that we support through our giving. You are not only providing for yourself and your family, you are also serving God in the process.

If you are one of the many Americans who are rethinking their current jobs, consider the following action steps: 1. Is your current job God’s plan for you? The word vocation comes from Latin meaning “a calling.” It doesn’t matter whether you are a farmer, laborer, janitor, manager, or CEO, you are called to do the work you do. Your work is serving God by serving others. Your thoughts about changing jobs may be God nudging you in a new direction. Prayerfully consider what path God is calling you to follow.

2. Assess purpose driven work vs. high

wages. Chasing after high wages is not fulfilling. I have been there, and I can tell you that achieving higher earnings is never enough. Once I listened to God, I found my calling in helping others succeed in business. This has been very rewarding and given me great satisfaction knowing that I have contributed to the success of the business and its employees. Seek purpose driven jobs that are meaningful to you while serving God. 3. Evaluate your natural skills. God has blessed each of us with unique skills and talTerry Frisk ents. I have always had an interest in numbers and their meaning. When I was young, I would graph my favorite baseball player’s statistics and follow their trends. So, it was natural for me to pursue a career in accounting. Consider your God-given talents and how you can apply them in the workplace. 4. Regard your work as an act of worship. Colossians 3:23 states, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” During the grind of the workday, it is sometimes difficult to recognize that the work you do is serving God. But, you are doing God’s work when you serve others. This is true if they are people you work for or people who work for you. 5. Appreciate the service others provide. I have heard many people who, in my view, have very purposeful jobs but feel they are not appreciated for the work they do. Take time to recognize the people who serve you. Raising them up will make a difference in how they feel about their work. Personally, I am on the path toward retirement from my professional career. However, this is not the end of my working life. God is calling me in a new direction. One that I am sure will be exciting and fulfilling. Is God calling you in a new direction? Seek answers through prayer. Take care and may God bless. n Terry Frisk is a partner in the firm B2B CFO, providing financial advisory services to small businesses. He also counsels individuals on personal financial matters through the Cathedral of the Rockies Budget Counseling ministry. He may be contacted through e-mail at terry_frisk@msn.com.

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