Cobwebs, Dust Bunnies and Soap Scum - Oh, My!

I am often a self-proclaimed "neat freak."  Especially when life feels a bit out of control and I need to put things "just right."  There is something deeply satisfying about the smell and shine of a freshly cleaned house to make all things right with the world.

We recently moved to a new apartment.  All of my effort was focused on packing up our home and successfully transitioning my family to our new location.  The moving day arrived and it was hard, hard work.  My weeks of planning and preparing still resulted in a house filled with boxes and clearly marked chaos.

Then, there was the task of cleaning out our old apartment.  Although I worked hard to keep my home in perfect order, I had to face what was left behind on the now exposed walls and in the unseen corners. I shared my experience with a friend and she said, "It is never easy to clean up our own dirt." Words that were meant as an empathetic band-of-sisters phrase, struck the deepest cords of my heart.

Could there be other areas of my life that appear smooth and shiny on the outside, but are filled with hidden dirt?

Is it possible that I have left traces of my dirt in the lives of others that I need to clean up?

Did I leave dusty fingerprints on the hearts of my loved ones caused by careless words that slipped through tightly pursed lips?

Or, dangling, lacy cobwebs that grew as a byproduct of neglected relationships.

What about baseboards sticky with the greasy filth that remain after I whisper "don't embarrass me" instead of  realizing that if the words or behavior of my family or friends reflects poorly on me, it is just the truth about me that is exposed. My Filth.

Or the dust, swept ever so swiftly under the rug; a remnant of my desire to avoid exposure.  My Shame.

My own dirt!

I would conjecture that it is not only hard to clean up our own dirt, but impossible to do so alone. All of the "I'm sorry's" or "I really didn't mean its" in the world can't wipe away this kind of grime. There is no scrubbing smiley faced cleaning product, bleach or magic erasing pad that will work.So what's a girl to do when the furniture is gone and there is nothing left but the embarrassing, sticky mess I worked so hard to hide behind my big shiny life?

Thankfully, I know the one who promises to make me cleaner than clean and shinier than shiny.

James 1:21:  "So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls."


I love this verse in the New Living Translation of the Bible. It is a no nonsense way to begin to mop up the hidden messes in our lives.  There is hope. We can just get rid of the filth by replacing it with God's Word.  And, we don't need to do a thing. We don't have to rely upon our human understanding to figure it out. We don't need a Bible scholar or multi-translation Bible. When we read and accept God's Word, he does the work of embedding it so that it becomes a permanent part of who we are.

1 John 1:9 - If we ask for forgiveness, Jesus promises to cleanse and purify us.
Psalm 51:7 and Isaiah 1:18 - Jesus offers us the chance to be free from sin - clean -whiter than snow!

Even as I write this, I am in awe of God's mercy.  Through the saving grace given through Jesus Christ, we can be truly, unimaginably and undeservedly clean.

I know there may be times when a Dust Bunny or two begin to accumulate in my life, but I am confident that with God's help and the understanding of my loved ones around me, I can both face and clean up my own dirt.