A Clean House

Lev. 14:33-42   God not only cares about us having clean and healthy bodies but also a clean environment to live in.  Maid and janitorial services are routinely offered in hotels and businesses but nowadays private homes are getting into the act too.  People want a clean house or room but don’t have the time or want to put the effort in cleaning up.  I can’t say this ranks as one of my favorite things to do.  Apart from the daily battle with dirty dishes, dirty laundry, and decluttering, little else is usually accomplished at the Chan residence.  But God requires much more than an outward shine; He wants a pure and spotless mind and heart.  Verse 41 says “He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town.”  Can you imagine the amount of elbow grease involved?  Whew!  As a mom, I make it a habit of mine to periodically go through and toss questionable books, newspapers, magazines, CD’s, DVD’s, and other media that have wormed their way into my home.  As long as I don’t put it off, the task is manageable.  What’s worse and harder to control is the ever-present Internet, readily available in several locations around our home, filled with both good and bad at the flip of a switch and the click of a mouse.  It takes persevering diligence and self-control on everyone’s part to achieve a clean house here.  Then we are to build with good and clean materials, as stated in verse 42: “then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.” That means we are to build our hearts and minds NOT with what’s careless, rude, and evil, but with what’s good, pure, and holy (also quoted in Phil. 4:8).  May the Lord give us victory over the areas of our lives that needs cleaning up!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.