These People…Sheesh…

On my way home from errands today, I decided to wash the car. I love a good clean car. My kids typically don’t appreciate a beautifully, immaculate vehicle the way I do. This is the reason I have to clean out the candy wrappers and trash on a regular basis or just decide, “Ok, this is the way my car is going to be until they’re 18 or maybe 25ish.” (Surely I won’t be toting them around at that point, right?) So I washed the car and even took the time to use the Weathershield, the extra protection from all the elements heading my way. Man, that sounds nice, doesn’t it? 

So I took my usual route and in front of me is a SUPER-dirty SUV. You know the kind where the ick is so thick they have to use the wiper so they can see out the back windshield; the kind where a kid uses their finger to remind them sweetly to “WASH ME.”  

I think, “Oh my goodness, you need to clean your car! Are you kidding?? How do you let your car get that dirty?” Then it occurs to me how judgmental I’m being, and my mind does a U-turn, saying, “Wait a minute, wait a minute. Your car was dirty not even ten minutes ago.” And I think in a sheepish rebuttal, “Well, not that dirty. I said I love a clean car. These people obviously don’t. These people are different because they don’t clean their car in the same way or as often as I do.”  

Then I think to myself…“Well guess what, Mrs. Judgy McJudgerPants, (my self is arguing with my self now. This happens more than I’d care to admit.) it’s probably because of where they live. Maybe they live on a dirt road. You’ve been there before. Battling that dirt is like brushing your teeth while munching on gluten-free, Double Stuf Oreos. But it sure is nice driving along in your pretty, clean car on a Monday, in front of God, Jesus, and everyone, huh?” 

It was right then that I felt that quiet voice God uses say to my soul, “Their dirt is the same as your dirt. There’s no level of ugly dirtiness that I can’t wash. The same water that washed your car can wash theirs and make it just as beautiful, just as sparkly, and just as shiny as your car. The same blood that Jesus chose to spill on the cross for your sins applies to theirs too.” Then my mind says “Duh.” and I continue to drive like none of those thoughts just happened in my head.  

So if you’re struggling today with how much God loves you or things that you’ve done that nobody else could possibly do, I say “PUH-leeeaaase. My dirt is the same as your dirt.” I may look all shined up now, (I sit here in bib overalls…very shiny.) but I surely haven’t always been. My car has looked like it’s been through a swamp only to discover I’ve chosen to trek through a couple of mud bogs. All of that takes time to wash off. I remember thinking while I sat in my own dirt/sin: But you don’t know about that one time…Remember when I said?…I can’t forgive so and so yet…  

All that dirt can be washed away and we get to watch it swirl down the drain. The only difference between your dirt and my dirt is that I chose to use the water provided to wash it away today. Just like the car wash, we decide to go. We get to choose to let Jesus cover every single ugly thing in our lives. Lord, there were so many ugly things in my life, so many bad choices and wrong roads that led exactly where I didn’t want to be. And I would surely rather have kept it all hidden, so that it looked like I’ve been clean allllll along, the “I-know-more-than-you/How-do-you-let-your-car-get-that-dirty?” mentality. That’s our fleshy nature and that’s what we have to hand over to God to deal with.  

Jesus can get rid of all your dirt every single time you allow Him to. Don’t you dare let the enemy of our souls tell you that your dirt could never be washed away. 

The 3 P’s

Think for just a second about being in a war. You come face to face with the enemy after hiding for so long. You finally know what he looks like, how he moves, even what his breath smells like…and it’s not good. You see the weapons he’s using against you, all of them, whether they’re physical, emotional, or otherwise. You look deep into his dark eyes and as you do…you silently hand him the weapon you have in your hand. 

Wait, what? Yes, you give him your weapon. He was running out of ideas and feeling discouraged, but thanks to you, he’s more than reenergized has tons of helpful hints now. It’s pretty clear that you’d like to defeat your enemy, but your odds of that just went a little wonky when you handed over your weapon.   

The obvious question: Why did you choose to give him your weapon?

I personally think it’s… 

A) because we don’t know what to do with it.  

B) we don’t know how powerful it is. 

C) we don’t know what day it is sometimes. 

D) all of the above.  

If we have a gun, a “typical” weapon that we may use in a fight, we know its power, its purpose, and its place. Do you know these 3 “P’s” when it comes to the weapon God gave us against the enemy of our souls? 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Our words have power and God’s Word, our weapon, has the most power. We are told to “bridle (control) our tongue” and “let no corrupting (shady) talk come out of our mouths.” We are to “breathe out Scripture” just as God did because His Word should flow like air right through us because it is truth. One of the apostles said, For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has Himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. (We don’t even have to come up with our own words in this war!) The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning (recognizing, noticing, differentiating) the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  

It occurs to me that His Word has a purpose, definitely has power, and always has a place! It leaves, or left, His mouth and our words, just like His, do not return empty. They accomplish what we say they will. Our words will accomplish what WE purpose (hopefully it’s exactly what HE purposes as well) and succeed in the thing for which WE send it. So if we say anything other than good and true things, we’re placing our weapon into the enemy’s hand. What we speak has power and if we’re not using it for our good, we’re using it for the opposite. 

God’s Word (did you catch that? It’s His Words!) is constantly at work within us, as believers. We are not to keep it to ourselves or leave it at home when we fight against the enemy. Our battles can be won simply by speaking what our amazing Father said. “If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Free, free, FREE! Do you feel at liberty and unbound today? If not, it could be because of your own mouths!  

God said everything in heaven and earth will pass away, but His words? Nope. They’re here to stay. Do you know how important God’s words are then? How unbelievable that He gives them to us to use on a daily basis. There are words to use for every single scenario we face… 

Are you afraid of losing your job? Psalm 73:23-24 He holds us and guides us. We are never alone. 

Online shopping addiction? Luke 12:15 Life doesn’t consist of what one possesses. 

Don’t feel like anyone notices, much less loves you, today? Luke 15:11-32, Luke 23:43, 1 John 1:9 God truly forgives us. Every. Single. Time. 

And we’re just gonna pass these tools over to the enemy? That’s what we do, it’s what I do, it’s what we’ve all done. Let’s stop. Simple as that. Stop using your own words to defeat your own self. Let’s stop cursing our days and speak life. Let’s let our words do what the Creator intended: to be a tree of life, gracious, and perfectly seasoned.  

References: Hebrews 4:12, Proverbs 18:21, James 1:26, Ephesians 4:29, John 17:17, John 12:49, Isaiah 55:11, John 8:31-32, Proverbs 15:4, Colossians 4:6, Colossians 3:8