They are worse off at the end
than they were at the beginning.
—2 Peter 2:20
Kids find it hard to resist throwing a rock through the window of an unoccupied house. Emptiness invites mischief.
Jesus told a story about an evacuating demon, wandering for a spell without finding a better dwelling, and deciding to return to his vacated abode. He found “the house swept clean”—but empty. Voilà! He re-entered—and brought seven bad boys with him.
Every addict knows—or soon will—that one victory doesn’t end the threat of a return visit. Those who are delivered from the bad but fail to fill the vacuum with good are a prize find for returning demons.
An empty life, like an empty house, invites intruders. It is not enough to banish evil thoughts, destructive habits, and old ways. The “swept clean” house must be filled with new furniture. Emptiness invites mischief.
Spring cleaning is a good thing.
But not enough.