When White-Out Won't Work

A little allegory on a Friday night...

I am at a new school site this year. I have spent a considerable amount of  time going through the workroom in an attempt to organize and create space for supplies. While doing so, I have found a plethora of items. And, incidentally, enough paperclips to fashion a wedding gown (as a dear co-worker has said). 

Some of the items were pulled out from the depths of the drawers and cabinets could no longer be used, like dried out markers and the such. This week, I went into the workroom to get a bottle of white-out. The bottle was unopened. I removed the packaging, shook it, and unscrewed the lid. As I began to cover up the errors in a schedule, I noticed that the white-out was not gliding over the paper. Instead, it was gloppy and making a bigger mess. I went to the workroom in search for another bottle of correction fluid. The second bottle was completely dried out and useless. 

I ended up ordering a few new bottles of white-out and some correction tape as well. The next day, when I was unpacking the supply boxes, I happily gave the ladies in the office a new correction tape {It is the little things, people}. 

So, it came time to break in the correction tape. It worked. It covered the blemish easily and completely. And my mind went straight to grace. 

We all fall short; none are perfect. We all are blemished. During the Old Covenant, God's people were instructed to atone for their sins by sacrificing an unblemished animal. We could never do it on our own. We are like the gloppy white-out incapable of covering the error (sin). And, it would never be whole because we needed saving; we needed a Savior to be the atonement for our sins. And because of our Redeemer, our sins are covered. When we repent and confess our sins, they are blotted out. How wonderful! AMAZING! 

And, as I covered over the blemishes on paper, this song came to mind: 

White as snow, white as snow

Though my sins were as scarlet

Lord, I know, Lord, I know

That I'm clean and forgiven

Through the power of Your blood

Through the wonder of Your love

Through faith in You

I know that I can be

White as snow

And I could go on, but for tonight, I will stop here with this: 

{Ephesians 1:7-8} Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!