If you hide your sins, you will not succeed.

Proverbs 28:13

Our [high school] baseball coach had a firm rule against chewing tobacco. We had a couple of players who were known to sneak a chew, and he wanted to call it to our attention.

He got our attention, all right. Before long we’d all tried it. A sure test of manhood was to take a chew when the pouch was passed down the bench. I had barely made the team; I sure wasn’t going to fail the test of manhood.

One day I’d just popped a plug in my mouth when one of the players warned, “Here comes the coach!” Not wanting to get caught, I did what came naturally, I swallowed. Gulp.

I added new meaning to the Scripture, “I felt weak deep inside me. I moaned all day long….” I paid the price for hiding my disobedience.

My body was not made to ingest tobacco. Your soul was not made to invest sin.

May I ask a frank question? Are you keeping any secrets from God?… Take a pointer from a nauseated third baseman. You’ll feel better if you get it out.

In the Grip of Grace
-Max Lucado