One day Jesus told a parable about a man out of whom a devil has been cast. When the job has been completed, he felt perfectly safe and secure. He may have said to himself, "Now that is done. He is gone and my house is at peace. I shall buy new furnishings, put up fresh curtains, and give to the entire place a new look." This was done. Late in the afternoon, largely by force of habit, the devil that had been evicted decided to walk down by his old home to see what had transpired in the meanwhile. To his amazement, he found everything clean, fresh, and rearranged, but empty of occupancy. With a flash of insight, he sized up the situation, called friends and cronies, and, together with them, he reestablished himself in his old setting. Jesus adds, "And the last state of the man was worse than the first." The story illustrated a profound truth about the nature of life. That which is left unattended seems to disintegrate. In other words, get the devil out but put something in his place.