I had to leave in five minutes. I looked down and gasped. During my showering and hair styling, my nail polish had chipped off on a few nails- ugh!
Now if you aren’t a gal, let me explain. This is equivalent to a button popped off or a mustard droplet on a necktie. Not the end of the world, but it definitely screams that you are not put together. Plus, all day you will be self-conscious and imagine everyone is giving you a wide berth and clicking their 
tongues.
Back to my plight: No time for a manicure. So I dabbed on some more polish to “smooth over” the rough spots. I knew better. With not quite dry nails I smudged two when I dug in my purse for my car keys. The newly applied coat actually revealed more of the “craters” rather than concealing it. Plus it adhered to the old, making the polish thicker and uneven in places, which made it chip off even more during the day. Now my nails really screamed “Mess!” Sigh.
Well, God used this as a lesson. No, it’s not that I have a vanity thing, though there is that I suppose. But how often do we try to cover up our sins thinking the world will not see them? We don’t have time to deal with it so we try a quick cover-up. I lost my temper so I will send her flowers. I walked by without saying hello so I will text it later. I took home some copy paper from the office so tomorrow I’ll bring brownies. I used the Lord’s name in vain so I will put an extra dollar in the offering plate. Quick cover-ups never properly fix the problem.
To set things right, I needed to take the time to remove the old chipped-off stuff, apply a new coat or two of polish and then seal it. Or, at least remove the flaking color and leave my nails fresh and clean. However, that would leave them exposed. Polish and sealant help protect them from breaking. They also add a touch of attractive shine and glimmer.
Couldn’t the same be said of my soul? I need to take the time to remove sin by confessing to God, and perhaps another person, the wrong I’ve done which is chipping away at my relationship. Then I must reapply God’s polish–by reading His Word, colored with prayer and brushed on with a contrite heart–so I can again shine. Lastly, I need to once more be sealed by His merciful Spirit so I am protected. Otherwise, sin will just keep peeling off any attractiveness I present to the world. I will lose my attractiveness.
Thing is, if I’d called and apologized for running late due to a slight wardrobe malfunction, people would have understood. How much more difficult to say I’m going to be tardy because I need to get right with God and someone I’ve wronged, and that is a process which can’t be rushed?
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13
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