The White Suit and the Painted Closet

Bill Brinkworth

Wiggling Willie was known to wiggle or jiggle just about every part of his body — constantly. There was seldom a second that something on his five-year old body was not twitching or twirling; except perhaps when he was sleeping.

On one particular day, he was dressed for his part in his sister’s wedding. He was dressed in a white tuxedo: white shirt, white trousers, white socks, white tie, white shoes; everything was white.

As he awaited his part with the wedding party, he smelled something that would peak any young man’s curiosity; the unusual smell of wet paint. As he followed his nose, it led him far from adult supervision to a place that peaked his curiosity even more; the newly painted downstairs of the church. All the newly painted walls had signs warning that the paint was wet, but for the non-reading investigator, they may just as well have said, “Please Touch Me.” That is exactly what Willie did.

His finger touched and rubbed the slow drying beige paint. The most alluring temptation, however, was the small, also freshly painted, clothes closet. In he stepped to examine what the inside of the closet was like, and yes, he closed the door. The twisting, squirming, exploring body, brushed up against the back wall, the side walls, and finally the inside of the door as he grappled for the doorknob. As he managed to exit from his dark, newly painted adventure, he was not the same clean boy that first entered the closet.

As can be imagined, the color of his clothing was altered — greatly. The wet paint had rubbed off and was imbedded in his hair, hands, clothing, and shoes; nothing was not affected.

All are affected in much the same manner when exposed to sin. Be it in through the eye-gates, hearing, taste, or touch, once sin is experienced it is imbedded into one’s mind. Once sin has stained one’s memory, it will be remembered and battled for the rest of one’s life. That is why God’s advice is never to be exposed to sin in the first place; be separated far from it. No matter who you are, no one can avoid the consequences of exposure to sin. Stay away from it or have a life-time of regrets!

“Why would a child of God, who is on the winning side, find it necessary to walk, talk, think, dress, or act like the losing side that is headed for hell?”

This article was featured in The Bible View #394.