Camouflage

I was trimming my tomato plants yesterday, trying to cut back some leaves so the stems with the flowers can flourish. As I was snipping one particular branch , I noticed a familiar pattern that I haven't seen in years. It was the green, white, black, and red design of the tomato hornworm.

I used to find them all the time on my neighbor's tomato plants when I was growing up. If I remember right, my sister and I had the job of taking them off the bushes. They were hard to spot because their design and colors camouflaged them against the bright green leaves. But they needed to be removed because left to their own devices, these hornworms would cause serious damage to the tomato plant.

Isn't that much like sin? It is often camouflaged from view, mostly because we don't want it to be exposed. Yet it eats away the protective layers that had been built up by the Holy Spirit to keep our minds and hearts focused on the things of the Lord. If we don't remove the sin, our hearts can soon be hardened, and what once was repulsive will eventually become acceptable.

For the health of my tomato plant, I removed the little camouflaged pest. What is hidden in your life that you know needs to be removed? Ask the Lord to prune your branches so you can be whole and healthy.