June 17

This is how Aaron is to enter the Holy Place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. — Lev 16:3 BSB

Before the high priest could offer a sacrifice for the people, he had to make an offering for himself. This teaches a lesson for everyone who would intercede for others or serve in any way in the Lord’s work. We must strive to live unspotted lives and put away our own sins before we go to God on behalf of others.

A painter noticed spots on the wall he had just painted in delicate colors. He tried to clean them with a cloth, but only made them worse because the cloth was dirty. Similarly, when someone with a spotted life tries to correct others’ faults, they often make things worse.

A child reached out to his mother for a gift, but his hands were dirty. His mother told him he couldn’t have it until his hands were clean. In the same way, we cannot cleanse others or receive gifts from God if our own hands are unclean. We must first seek forgiveness for ourselves.