Clean Inside and Out

Growing up it was common for us to do chores on a Saturday.  In addition to household duties like laundry, washing up after dinner, sweeping the floor, mowing the lawn, vacuuming carpet, or cleaning bathrooms, sometimes we would have different tasks like washing the cars, trimming ivy off the fence, or removing fly screens from the windows, scrubbing, and spraying them down.  I was always impressed by my mum's ability to clean a window.  I would use the same Windex, paper towels, and press until it squeaked like she did, but it seemed I had to do it over and over until it looked half as good as her first go.

As the sun streamed through the sliding glass doors into the dining room yesterday, it was obvious the glass needed a good clean.  I pulled out the trusty Windex and proceeded to clean each door two times each side - because I knew full well that even with rotating the towel I couldn't remove the dust and film with a single pass.  After wiping the windows thoroughly, I was left scratching my head how a concentrated beam of sunlight showed small swirls and dust on the glass.  I cleaned one side and then the opposite side appeared streaked.  I walked outside again to clean the other side, and the side I just cleaned would be revealed as smudged too!  Though not perfect, in the end I finally called it good enough and walked away.  The doors look way better than they used to.

This window cleaning experience started me thinking about a particular glass surface which is my least favourite to clean:  the inside of a car windscreen (windshield, for my American readers if you hadn't guessed).  The outside of the windscreen is easy to clean because it is fully exposed and has a gentle slope.  Once the windscreen wiper blades are raised it is no problem to access the whole surface.  But the inside is a completely different story.  Bird droppings and dust is no problem compared to the greasy film which quickly smears the inside of the glass.  The glass angles away from the seat, the rear-view mirror is easily knocked, and over spray drifts onto the dash.  Many times I figured I had done a thorough job, only to discover through the light of the sun the film remained!  No matter how good your cleaning products, the amount of effort spent, or the time invested in cleaning windows, they will soon be dirty again.  I still remember what my mum would be quick to say after a job was done, "See how good that looks?  Doesn't it feel great to look through a clean window?"  Yeah, yeah, I would say to myself.  But she was right.

The LORD provided me a good lesson through my cleaning experience yesterday:  the light of God's word easily exposes the sin in our hearts.  Looking at the windscreen as my life, I can say it is easier in many cases to clean up outer appearances rather than deal with the wickedness inside my heart.  The inside is a lot harder to clean than the outside, but both need careful consideration and attention.  A primary difference between windscreens and hearts is when it comes to hearts the outer is often an indication of the inner, even as our words express thoughts hidden to everyone else but God.  Another huge difference is we are not able by our efforts alone to wash our minds, bodies, or hearts clean from sin.  The only way we can be washed is through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, for His blood cleanses us from all sin and imputes to us His righteousness.  Having been born again we are to embrace our own personal sanctification and we do this by examining our hearts, words, and actions in the light of God's Word.  When there are the equivalent of bird droppings on the outside or a greasy film within, God provides the cleansing when we confess our sins and we are to walk in light of it.

How important it is for us to walk in the light as He is in the light!  Jesus is the Light of the World, and He has a unique skill at revealing the faults no one else is privy to.  Like the Law of Moses beams of sunlight have no ability to cleanse us, but Jesus is able to forgive sins.  1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  How good it is to be clean, to be free from the curse of sin!  Praise the LORD He has washed us and how His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  In light of our holy God and having eyes to see, we are to be clean inside and out for His glory.  Then His light will shine from us with glory undimmed, vessels of honour in whom He delights.