Tidy does not Equal Clean

I really do love having a tidy home. Nothing beats the feeling of coming into the house after grocery shopping, or just being gone all day, and everything being in its place. There is something peaceful about it. As much as I love things to be tidy, it doesn’t always stay that way. Having two young children can make that unattainable at times, but as much as I love a tidy home, I also enjoy a clean home, and just because I strive to keep my home tidy, doesn’t make it clean. I have come to realize my love for tidiness, at times, hinders me from cleaning like I should. I want everything looking orderly and when I clean, it often looks like a bomb went off in the house. Chairs are moved to another side of the room, rugs are pulled up, and decorations have to be moved so that various surfaces can be dusted, etc…

Tidiness is certainly pleasing to the eye, and if we are not careful, we can be fooled by it. Chairs can be perfectly arranged around a table, but still be surrounded by crumbs. Rugs can be perfectly positioned on the floor, and dirt still be trapped underneath. Items may be perfectly arranged for display on the furniture, but still be surrounded by dust.

Tidiness is good, but cleanliness is what really matters. What good is it anyway if all is tidy amongst filth? In the life of the believer, tidiness may look like a high commitment to church attendance, daily bible reading, surrounding yourself with Christian friends, giving of your time and resources to further the gospel, and the list could continue. All of these things are great, but in our striving to serve and have God honoring aspects in our lives and keeping things “tidy,” if we are not careful, we can begin to overlook the constant cleaning that is still required within our hearts. If you look past the appearance of these things, you will still find crumbs that need to be swept, dust that has accumulated and needs to be wiped away, or cob webs in the corners that need to be knocked down. We all have these areas in our lives. Whatever it may be that God is showing you that needs to be clean, praise God that He has given you the eyes to see these things, and once you see it, make the effort to do what you can to clean it up. It’s not enough for us to just be tidy Christians, God desires to make us clean!
“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7