Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, and the end of mirth may be grief.

Proverbs 14:13

The Martins lived in a small home in the suburbs. From the outside, nothing about the house looked strange or out of the ordinary-but inside was a different story. The Martins had an eight-ton elephant residing in their living room.

No one said anything about the presence of the pachyderm. In fact, the whole family sat on the couch and watched television through the elephant’s legs. Mrs Martin cleaned massive messes and even dusted around the animal. His trunk often reached to the dining room table to get food, ruining more than a few meals. The family ignored the elephant and did their best to go on as if nothing was wrong.

Finally, however, the elephant could no longer be ignored. The carpet was ruined. The couch sagged. Fleas were all over the premises, and the neighbors were beginning to complain of the stench.

Of course, this is not a true story. It is an illustration of what happens to problems in a family that doesn’t look at the truth; problems are just overlooked or denied. No matter what the problem-alcoholism, depression, physical abuse-they begin to smell when they are not dealt with. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me face problems in my family and do something about them before they reach “elephantissimal” proportions.