Right now I am in Caye Caulker, a small island off the coast of Belize.  Yesterday was the picture perfect beach day, and Jay sat in the shade reading a book while I splashed around in the ocean and feel asleep in the sun.  There really is nothing better than drifting off to sleep with the warmth of the sun all around you!

Turns out the warmth I felt earlier morphed into a real heatwave of pain as I discovered a nasty sunburn on my back at night.  I could hear the words of my mom, “you should have been more careful with the sunscreen!” echoing in my head, and the next day I was definitely seeking more shade.

Sin is like a sunburn isn’t it? Whether it’s gossip, lust, greed, pride, jealousy, or any of the other issues we struggle with as human beings, it doesn’t feel all that bad when we are “lying in the sun surrounded by it” so to speak.  In the moment it often feels quite satisfying actually.  But the Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death.  Death of relationships, death of joy, death of community, death of desire…or even physical death.

As summer approaches and we start enjoying the warmth of the sun, let us be conscious not only about our skin, but the health of our mind, heart, and spirit.

Have a great weekend!

Michelle