Summary: "Mom!" yelled Naomi. "Justin won't get out of the bathroom!" She pounded her fists on the door. "He spends more time primping than I do!" After taking one last look at his hair in the mirror, Justin opened the door. Naomi stood there, waiting. He scowled, shoved her backwards, and called her a bad name under his breath. He hurried outside, avoiding Mom, and slammed the door. Justin saw a silver four-wheel drive truck in the driveway next door. Their neighbor Trent, a college student, was polishing the truck's shiny, black finish. "Hey, Justin," called Trent, coming around the truck. "How ya doin'? I need to run to the store for some more polish. Want to come along?" "Sure!" said Justin. "I haven't had a ride in your new truck yet. I'll go make sure it's okay with Mom." He hurried back to check with his mother. When Justin returned, he opened the door on the passenger side of the truck. Trash fell out onto the driveway. Justin picked it up and started to climb in, but the seat was littered with paper and empty soda bottles. "Just push that stuff out of the way," said Trent, getting in on the driver's side. Justin did as he was told, but he was disgusted to find he was sitting on a sticky, half-eaten sucker. He was rather glad when they got back home. "So . . . do you like Trent's truck?" asked Mom. Justin scowled. "I thought it was so cool until I saw the inside. It's a mess!" "Sounds like you,"said Naomi, who was still angry with her brother. "You get all spiffed up on the outside, but you're mean and ugly inside." "Whoa!" cautioned Mom, frowning at Naomi. "Make sure your own heart is clean before you criticize someone else." She turned to Justin. "Naomi does have a point," she added. "We should be clean and try to look our best, but we need to remember that what counts most to God is what we're like on the inside. We may be well-groomed and nicely dressed, but if we forget about a mess that's in our hearts, we're pretty much like Trent and that truck, don't you think?" Justin frowned, knowing he deserved a scolding for the way he had acted that morning. He glanced at his sister. "I-I'm sorry, Naomi" he murmured. "I really am." How About You? How much time do you spend on outward appearance? Do you also take that much time to make sure your heart and life are clean? Spend time with God, learning what He desires of you. Ask Him to help you develop love, joy, peace--and all the other "fruit of the Spirit." AskHim to help you get rid of lying, envy, ugly thoughts, and other "works of the flesh." Be clean inside and out. Today's Key Verse: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) Today's Key Thought: Be clean inside and out
