I have heard this term many times. A husband or wife may say, “Let’s not go there. That will open up ‘a can of worms.'” A parent may say, “I don’t want to open up that ‘can of worms.’ What do they mean?
Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘a can of worms’ as “a situation that causes a lot of problems for you when you start to deal with it.”
People are afraid of opening ‘a can of worms’ for a variety of reasons, and they all stem from keeping what is in the can safely in the can. Maybe the can was opened at one point, and what appeared was dirty, ugly, slimy, and nasty. So, the lid went back on the can and sealed tighter than before. A can of worms. Ugh!
The problem, though, is the worms are still in the can.
Try as you might, the worms will not stay hidden forever, and they certainly won’t remain hidden safely. Many times, it is the things we don’t want to deal with that we need to address.
Solomon mentions in Proverbs 4:23 that we need to guard our hearts with all vigilance.
Matthew 15 records a conversation between Jesus and His disciples. In verse 18, Jesus mentions some things that come out of the heart and defile the man.
I suggest even if the lid is tight on the ‘can of worms,’ if it is in the heart, defilement will come at some point. The lid will not stay on forever. Poison will eat away at it until all that is within comes slithering out. Then watch out. Words will be said, and deeds acted out, and you will think, “Where did that come from?”
It came from ‘a can of worms’ that you ignored.
How much better it is to open the can voluntarily, let the light of the Spirit shine in, allow tears of repentance and forgiveness flow, and experience healing in the soul.
Let me know if I can be of assistance.
You might also like these articles...
Safe Sex!
Society is confused with what safe sex really is. Sex is a subject Apostolics tend to think about more than discuss. I teach a class in my marriage seminar entitled “Fun.” It deals explicitly with the topic of sex in marriage. Interestingly enough, it is the most favorite session taught. I get more positive feedback…
Recognizing Suicide
I want to talk to you about recognizing suicide in your world. In 2015, over 44,000 individuals took their own life in the United States. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in America. Between the ages of 15-34, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death. In Oregon, one person dies by suicide…
The Power of Giving Thanks
Giving thanks. Being thankful. Seems like the same thing but there is a difference. One is proactive, the other reactive. Is either one wrong? Absolutely not! Both are right. Both are needed. Consider an obvious Scriptural example. Dr. Luke tells a true story of ten men, which he records in Luke 17:12-18. If we cheat…