Laundry Lesson

I noticed as I went to the closet not one shirt but two on the floor just beside the hamper.  How can he get so close and not get them in there?  My irritation mounted as I bent over to pick them up.  Good thing he isn’t here, I thought.  Grrr.  The least he could do is just get the dirty clothes into the hamper.  I sort them, wash them, put them in the dryer, hang and fold them and return them all to their proper drawer or place in the closet.  Righteous indignation to be sure!  I was fully justified! 

And then…as I caught my self-righteous indignation and got a glimpse of my heart, this thought came to me, “How many pieces of my dirty laundry had Jesus picked up without complaining?”  He has picked up all my dirty laundry and made me clean on a continual basis.  He didn’t complain about stooping to pick up my socks when He humbled himself and came to this earth as a baby.  He didn’t declare any righteousness when He was beaten and crucified for my dirty clothes called sin.  He died for me; and I complain about picking up a few shirts off the floor.  Really!  The time to put things in perspective came almost as quickly as my ire had risen. 

I confessed my sin and self-righteousness and asked for God’s forgiveness again.  I told God that it is my desire to become more like Jesus.  I realize I am not being asked to give up my physical life and I can become more like Christ by simply picking up some dirty laundry, dishes, and an occasional gum wrapper.  Thank You, God that I can humble myself in the presence of the people in my life and become more like you. 

 (Excerpt from Chapter Four of Your Desire Shall be for Your Husband – all rights reserved by author)