This leopard sets on the coffee table in my living room. He’s there most of the year around except when I move him to put other decorations on the table. Unfortunately, one day I made a wrong choice and set him in front of my fireplace on the hearth. The flames came on, I sat in my chair, relaxed and started reading. Several minutes later I jumped out of my seat when it sounded like a shotgun going off in the house. It came from my leopard! He’s made of some kind of metal-hollow inside-and the heat from the fireplace built up inside it until the pressure literally blew a hole in the bottom. The noise was horrific! I discovered the hole later as I was afraid at first to even look; thinking I “killed” him! Fortunately, you can’t see the hole on the bottom and I can still admire him on my table.

I thought of things that can build up inside our lives when we let the “fires” around us fester and grow out of control if we don’t deal with them. When the temperature reaches the danger zone we explode and lash out on those around us. The words that come out of our mouth can be very damaging.

Anger, hatred, bitterness, jealousy, resentment, unforgiveness, etc. – all these can be the “fire” building up inside us, creating pressure until we “explode” and lash out even on our loved ones. But, you know what? God is always ready to forgive. And though there may be consequences from our “blow-ups” God doesn’t consider us damaged goods and He doesn’t set us aside. When we sincerely deal with our sins and ask God to forgive us, He will do just that. He is also a God of second, third, and more chances and wants to continue to use us as we yield to Him.

“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph. 4:31,32

Don’t let anything build up in your life to the point you are ready to explode!