1 Way Only--Two Bottles of Correction Fluid

Two Bottles of Correction Fluid--by Kimberly B. Southall

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I have two bottles of correction fluid on the stand beside my favorite seat. One is the bottle I've had for a while, and the other is its soon-to-be replacement. Upon first glance, both bottles look alike. But upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that they are different. The older one has some dried correction fluid around the neck of the bottle, making it difficult to open and close, while the newer bottle's lid screws off and on with ease. And there's a big difference inside, too. The correction fluid in the older bottle is getting thick and gooey, which means it's nearly impossible to apply it to the paper in anything less than a bumpy glob. The new bottle, of course, works the way it's supposed to. The applicator smoothly applies the fluid so that it is almost unnoticeable once it's dried. Pretty soon, I'll get tired of picking up the older bottle to see if I can get just one more good use out of it, and I'll toss it in the trash.

If a comparison were to be made comparing your Christian life to a bottle of correction fluid, which bottle would you be? Would you be the first bottle, whose appearance is "dry"--perhaps a constant frown on your face or a persistent bad attitude? Or would you be the second bottle whose appearance is as it should be--a pleasant expression on your face with a "can-do" attitude? Would you be the first bottle whose contents (your heart) are hardening? Or would you be the second bottle whose contents are still pliable and moldable to the will of God? Would you be the first bottle whose usefulness is dwindling with each passing moment--serving God less and less in the capacities for which you were intended? Or would you be the second bottle which is ready for use--available for God's service whenever needed?

There is coming a day when each of us will be judged. Jesus will separate the good tree from the bad tree (Matthew 7:16-20), the wheat from the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), or the good bottle of correction fluid from the bad. No matter how you illustrate it, the point is the same-make sure you are among those whom God will keep. Above all, you won't want to be thrown out! Remember the two bottles of correction fluid.