Missing Targets

Eight-year-old Aryanna Schneeburg was doing what all children do: She was playing in her backyard in Milwaukee.

Then, life changed. An arrow sliced through her back and cut into her lung, spleen, stomach, and liver. She survived but with scars.

The arrow came from the bow of a neighbor who shot at a squirrel but missed his target. It left the injury.

When the Bible describes sin, it uses a word that means to “miss the mark.” The truth is that missing the mark causes damage to us and others. Much of it can only be forgiven, not undone.

Paul told the Romans:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV)

You pay a price when you miss the target. If you do not pay it, Jesus bears the cost.

Don’t ignore sin. A random arrow leaves scars on a child, and a trivial sin leaves guilt, shame, or regret.

As John Owen said, “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.”