House or Home?

It’s been about 10 years but the house at the end of our street was finally sold!

10 years ago, the owners moved into a larger house in our neighborhood and being unable to sell their house at the time they began to rent it.

The first renters did not take care of the yard, but they only stayed for one year and left.

Another family moved in on a rent to own basis and they did some amazing landscaping.

They removed some trees and planted some ornamental topiary shrubs.

The yard looked amazing, but the deal fell through, and they moved.

So, for the last 8 years another family had taken up residence.

The yard slowly became overgrown.

The house was not taken care of and was put back on the market.

It took a while to sell because the renters became squatters and wouldn’t let the realtor in to show the house.

Once they gained access to the house it sold in less than 2 weeks.

The new family moved in a week ago and the transformation from the outside is amazing.

In one day, the shrub borders were restored to their original beauty and the weeds were cut down.

The lawn was mowed and weeded and just this morning the home, owner was edging the lawn along the sidewalk.

What a difference it makes!

Years ago, while at a craft fair with my parents I was purchasing a decorative sign to hang on my house.

It would have our name painted on it and “Bless this House or Home” whichever we wanted since it was painted in front of us.

At the time I didn’t know which I wanted the lady to write on the sign.

“Bless this House” or “Bless this Home”?

So, I asked my folks and my dad said.

“A house is the structure in which you live, a home is the people inside the house.”

What words of wisdom!

Yes.  “Bless this home.” 

When you own your home, it makes all the difference.

The renters down the street had no vested interest in the house in which they were living because they didn’t own it.

But the home, owners, already they have shown they have an interest in taking care of their home.

It’s that way with the body as well.

We nourish and take care of our body when we respect our body and the creator who made us.

Scripture says our body is a temple for the Lord and we are to treat it as such.

When the Holy Spirit indwells in us, we want to show reverence for the Spirit by taking care of His home which is in us.

If the Spirit indwells in us, we choose the right foods, we exercise, we keep our thoughts and body pure out of respect for God our creator.

And that’s what makes the difference, a parallel between a simple structure and the embodiment within it which makes it eternal.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? You were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20