Should I Be More June Cleaver and Less Granny Clampett?
The other day was so pretty I just wanted to stay outside. Whistling tunes as I was blowing the leaves and sheep poop off of the sidewalk, cliche sayings kept coming to my mind. I chuckled as “Cleanliness is next to godliness” showed up. As I pondered this statement I wondered, “How in the world does my ridding the sidewalk of debris have anything to do with being godly? Who even says that anymore? Is it really that to be godly we need to be clean?” No sheep answered...
For a long time I didn't understand how that made any sense at all. The most godly women I knew weren't the best housekeepers, but that didn't make them less godly.
Looking back over the numerous times I’ve said this phrase, I recall one time I was cleaning the baseboards and all that did was make me angry. I totally did not feel an ounce of godliness at all, I just kept thinking about how much they needed painting and how badly I wanted to be doing something else, but I felt I needed to be cleaning them because I wanted to be a good Christian grown-up by gosh!
I'm sure the phrase "cleanliness is next to godliness" really comes from the cleanliness of having our sins washed away by the blood of Christ. Once we confess that we're sinners and accept Him into our hearts, we become white as snow. Imagine the black and muddy sin pouring from our bodies as we're being cleansed from the warmth and love of God from our heads to our toes. As the sin pools from our feet, away from us forever, we become godly creatures-new.
The feeling is incredible. It doesn't happen in baptism, but the act of baptism does signify the washing and the refreshing, freeing, cleanse that we get when we’re saved. It makes us want to take a deep breath and start over! Start new. Begin our walk with Christ.
Now, I don’t know about you, but for me, when my home is clean, I feel good. When the stalls are clean, I feel accomplished. When my body is clean, I can rest. When my nails are free of dirt, I feel presentable. When things are in their place and my surroundings are tidy, I feel comfortable and welcoming. There isn’t anything to distract my focus or attention.
But there are things I’ll never get clean-my kitchen windows. They won’t open enough for me to get all the spiderwebs out and guess what, I see that every-single-day, all-day-long. It used to stir up the crazy in me, but now there is something else I see there; a tiny angel made of two beads and a piece of ribbon.
Seeing my backyard makes me feel peaceful. I love watching the lambs play, the horses run, the longhorns trim the trees and occasionally, I see a friend enjoying my buddies as she walks along our fence.
Joy
Now, I clean the windows the best that I can and I’ve since replaced that old, dusty valance that once hid the little angel. Today, I can look past whatever decides to try to block my view and it’s easy to see what brings me joy.
I can focus on that angel and know there’s so much more to life than picking out all the little things that bother me. That little angel made of beads reminds me of what’s important and what I need to keep my focus on- where to find my joy, my hope and my peace.
I’m not aware of any scripture that tells us that we need to have clean surroundings to be godly, but we do need to be clean in our hearts, minds and souls. All that we have to do is let the Holy Spirit lead us to allow the Blood of Christ to wash over us.
Oh, that blood isn’t red, sticky and staining. It’s pure as the driven snow. It’s more clear than the finest crystal and it washes the stains of sin away forever.
YES! That’s the kind of clean we should all strive for! It’s already been paid for, it’s free to us and we don’t have to go anywhere to get it! No professional to hire. No super awesome person to do all the work for you, it’s already done. I could go on, but my point has been made.
I hereby denounce the old adage from the 1700’s that has been twisted and used for so long, causing unneeded stress by making me think I had to keep things clean just so I can feel good about my godliness!
I’ve been washed in the blood. Because of what Jesus did for me-I am clean. He cleansed me of the awful grime of sin because He loves me.
And because He loves me, I want to live a life that honors Him. That doesn’t mean it’s automatic or easy or even instant. Living a life that pleases God is something that takes daily focus. It becomes easier. It becomes more routine and that’s what He wants in a godly vessel. Dedication. Faith.
So yeah, that makes more sense. Being clean-cleansed, IS next to godliness. One happens because of the other. You have to figure out how that works for you.
Now, excuse me while I go dust off my little bead angel. As I look through her crystal beads, past her wings that's written-JOY, I can see joy. No matter what is around trying to muddle my view or steal my joy, it’s there and I choose to focus on that.
Isaiah 55: 12 “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
What a vision! I choose joy!
Psalm 51
