“Yes, sir.”
“Now a nail and a piece of pine board.”
“Here they are, sir.”
“Will you drive the nail into the board?”
It was done.
“Please pull it out again.”
“That’s easy, sir.”
“Now, John,” and the father’s voice dropped to a lower key, “pull out the nail hole.”
Every wrong act leaves a scar. Even if the board be a living tree the scar remains.
For our worst sins there is plenteous redemption. My sin may become white as snow, and pass away altogether, in so far as it has power to disturb or sadden my relation to God. Yet our least sins leave in our lives, in our characters, in our memories, in our consciences, sometimes in our weakness, often in our worldly position, in our reputation, in our success, in our health, in a thousand ways leave their traces and consequences. God will not put out His little finger to remove these, but lets them stop.