It snowed most of the day in my area of Wisconsin Thursday. From the sounds of it, my friends and family in the Northeast are going to spend much of today and tomorrow getting what we got—and much, much more. So as I sat down to write, I had snow on my mind. Maybe that’s why I thought about this verse:

“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” —Psalm 51:7, NLT

As it snowed, I watched the snowplows go back and forth at frequent intervals, keeping the roads cleared and safe for travel. They didn’t wait until the end of the snowfall—late at night. No, those hard-working crews know the basic principle that if you let the snow pile up, it gets packed down, and/or it becomes too difficult  to move because of how much has accumulated.

My parents also apply that concept with their driveway. Though their association has a plowing service that comes after a certain number of inches of snowfall, my parents and their sweet next-door neighbors will often have two of the driest, ice-free driveways in the neighborhood. Why? Because they have gone out frequently and not only shoveled the main path; they have also cleared away those areas in the corners that are hard for the plows to reach.

A neighbor in Michigan, Jeff, would often tease me about shoveling after only three inches of snow had fallen. “Hey, Brenda—you know we’re still gonna get five more inches, don’t you?” I would reply that it was much easier for me to do three inches, and then two inches, and then another three inches than it was to  attempt to shovel through eight inches of snow at the end of the storm!

This same “shoveling principle” is true in my spiritual life. I see this in three ways, as represented by the three true scenarios above:

(1) If I “plow away” the sin before it has a chance to accumulate, the path is clear for God to accomplish His work in me.

(2) If I frequently take care of the hidden areas of my heart where sin can pile up—even though they’re out of plain sight—my life can shine for Christ in a dark world.

(3) If I follow David’s example in Psalm 51 and ask God daily to cleanse and purify my heart (whiter than snow!), it makes sense that there won’t be an opportunity for the sin to enlarge in its impact and its scope.

Just like plowing away the snow, keeping a “short sin account” keeps the path to victory clear!

Suggested reading: Psalm 51

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Here’s an idea for the letter-writing crew: Choose three cards to mail this coming week. This weekend, address and stamp the envelopes. Carry the cards (and the pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelopes) with you in your purse or planner. When you are waiting at the doctor’s office, sitting in the carpool lane at the end of the school day, or just finding those rare ten minutes of quietness in the house, you’ll be ready to write a quick note of encouragement and stick it in the mailbox!

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