I don’t like messy things! I tend to lean towards a “neat freak” mindset. Now that is according to my definition of course. To another “neat freak”, my stuff might be unorganized and cluttered, but to me, it’s neat and orderly.
I like my office clean and orderly. I like our home clean and orderly (although kids are the unraveling of that many times). I like my clothes and shoes clean and orderly. I don’t like messy things!
That was definitely evident when my girls were little. I was a little obsessive when it came to meal time when they were toddlers. My girls had to have a clean face, even when eating. The area where they were sitting had to be cleaned up right after a snack or meal. Even today, I am always asking my teen girls to eat over a plate and clean up the crumbs from their breakfast, etc. I don’t like messy things!
The reality though, even in my pursuit for what’s clean and orderly, I am not clean and orderly. Now don’t miss quote me (Eric)! I do shower daily so I am physically clean. I am talking about emotionally and spiritually. I am messy!
My sin makes me messy! My selfishness and pride makes my life out of order. My wounded, broken past makes my heart and mind cluttered at times with junk I have to sort through. I am messy!
Matter of fact, we all are messy! I can’t express how thankful I am that God loves messy people. He loves us so much, that He sent Jesus to take our mess upon himself (even though He was perfectly clean) and offer us an answer to our messiness.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (John 1:8-9)
If we ever forget that we ourselves are messy, we will fall into self-righteousness and judgment towards the messiness of others. To do so, is to step away from grace and truth. To do so, is to keep Jesus out of our relationships. We can’t afford that! Others can’t afford that!
*For more on this topic, please join us throughout September for the sermon series entitled, “Messy Grace”.