by Stephen R. Clark
Fires can be fun to be around, but the smell of smoke that gets in your clothing and hair can really stink. It can’t be avoided either. When you get close to any fire, you’re going to get smelly.
It’s the same way when we hit a hot spot in life and get burned — you know, those tough times that generate a lot of heat and someone always gets hurt? It could be a serious argument, a bitter misunderstanding, getting fired from a job, a divorce, or a thousand other situations. Whether we or someone else started the fire doesn’t matter. Tempers or emotions flare, humility hardens into arrogance, and the smoke of the event stinks up our hearts and our memory.
For some, the smoke never clears. Have you ever met someone who could talk only about all the ways they’d been hurt and wronged by life? Some people catalog and recount all the wrongs they’ve ever experienced. Others have experienced one situation that has burned a hole in their soul. In both cases, the lack of forgiveness and healing causes a stink as bad as stale smoke. It’s not pleasant to be around.
Fire protection
In the well-known story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3), these three men encountered a hot spot that put them smack in the middle of a literal fiery furnace. In fact, the furnace they were thrown into was so hot, the men who tossed them in died from the heat! Now that’s one hot situation.
But the Hebrew boys maintained their cool and came out untouched. Those at the scene “saw that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men: not a hair of their heads was singed, their robes were unaffected, and there was no smell of fire on them” (v. 27).
Can you believe that? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego took a stand for God and accepted the consequences of their actions, while fully trusting in the Lord to take care of them. And He did. But why was there no smell of smoke on them? Because they held no grudge against the king and others who had thrown them in the furnace.
Choices
Life hurts because people are sinful. They will do things to you that will offend you, hurt you, and cause you senseless pain. And you will do things that hurt others. Pain cannot be avoided; even Christians suffer. Paul states this truth in Philippians 1:29: “For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.”
When life and others inevitably hurt you, you have only two choices: forgiveness or bitterness. In other words, you can become smoke-free or stink.
Just as smoking cigarettes leads to cancer and other diseases, carrying grudges, seeking revenge, or withholding forgiveness leads to bitterness. And bitterness will contaminate every part of your life. It will also be offensive to those around you since no one likes to be around a smelly person.
To be physically healthy, you avoid smoking. Being spiritually healthy means being smoke-free in your heart and soul.
Ephesians 4:31, 32 states, “Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
Forgiveness smells like the fragrance after a cleansing spring rain. Soul-healing starts when you let the hurts go. It is an act of great humility.
Clearing the smoke
How do you smell? Is there smoke in your life? Do you carry a grudge like a badge of honor? If so, you’re no martyr but a slave to whatever or whoever hurt you. In Acts, Peter observed of Simon the sorcerer, “For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness” (8:23). Since sin leads to death, bitterness is just not worth holding on to. Everyone has to pass through the fire from time to time. It’s the way life is. But just because you get burned doesn’t mean you have to stay in pain. Humbly forgive and humbly be forgiven. Let God clear away every trace of smoke. You’ll feel better and be stronger for that inevitable next time life heats up.
