"The Music Man"

I really like the movie "The Music Man." What a classic. Resa and I were watching it the other night and it struck me how this man, a deceiver and cunning in heart, took in a town and a librarian. At first, the librarian was standing at a distance, ready to expose the Music Man's ploys but then something strange started happening. She continued slowly listening and paying attention to his message until she was finally hooked! It no longer mattered he was deceitful but she had fallen in love with him and embraced him to the point of trying to protect his ugliness. In the end, this swindler gave up his lifestyle and faced his sins. He found compassion!

In thinking about this, that is us. We are sometimes like the librarian who are taken in because of our affections and find ourselves protecting the very sin that needs to be moved away from. You never help anyone by protecting them in sin! Sin is costly and the longer one stays in their sins, the more blind and hardened toward sin they become. On the other hand, when we move away from our sins with an honest, humble heart we find compassion and mercy from the Lord. The Lord wants to embrace us but He will not until we are honest and come clean by repenting of our sins.

Micah reminds us that the Lord who pardons our iniquities delights in His unchanging love (Micah 7:18-19). Our God and Savior delights in being able to forgive. What a thought! What a wonderful lesson to grab hold of and rejoice in. It thrills God to no end to forgive. Move away from sin! Remove yourself from sinful things! Bring your sins to the cross and let God have His delight in forgiving you. Go ahead, don't be afraid! Embrace Jesus and let go of your sin.