We know how it happens.  First we eat.  Which dirties the dishes, tableware, and any pots or pans used to make the meal.  Then we put them all in the sink.  Since we’re in a hurry—to go somewhere, get something else done that has to be done first–  we decide to just leave the dishes ‘til later.

Another meal, dessert, or snack comes.  We go to put those dishes in the sink and realize “uh oh—I never did get to these other dishes.  They’re still here.”  That’s one thing about dirty dishes—they never get impatient and leave—they’ll always still be there, waiting.

“But what if I have a dishwasher?”, you say (a machine, not your husband/wife/kids!). The same applies—except now they’re “out of sight, out of mind”, lurking there until you open the machine again.

Now there’s even more dirty dishes, which makes them even more daunting to deal with.  And, as before, we don’t have enough time or energy to do them, especially now that they’re piling up.  So—- we leave them ‘til later—‘til that imaginary “when I have enough time and energy to do the washing, stacking or drying, putting away…”

And so it goes.  Until the point where we absolutely have to do them because they’re either overflowing the sink (or dishwasher), and/or we don’t have what you need to cook or eat with!

From observing this situation in my kitchen sink, this is what I’ve noticed and learned:

It’s much easier to do the dishes when you put a few into an empty sink– to be motivated to wash one or two or three, than “too many to do now”.  If we follow that good logic, we wash the few and stack or dry them.  Then the next time, the sink is empty again, and it’s much easier to do the dishes again.

One day, as I was washing a couple of dishes, so glad there wasn’t a huge pile of unclean dishes in my sink, the thought came to me—

This is just like dealing with junk (sin) in our hearts and lives!

It’s much easier to deal with if we take care of it right away.  If we keep short accounts with God and anyone else we’ve hurt, it’s a lot less daunting, dirty, and dangerous.  Why?

• With dirty dishes, the longer they’re left, the more bad bacteria grows and spreads. With junk (sin), the longer it’s left undealt with, the more the harmful effects grow and spread—destroying our bodies, mental and emotional health, and relationships.

• With dirty dishes, the longer they’re left, the more dirt cakes on and hardens, making it very difficult to scrape off. With “dirty” hearts, the longer the issues aren’t addressed, the more hard-hearted we become, making it very difficult to remove the hard, gunky, crust around it.

• With dirty dishes, storing them in an enclosed area and/or leaving the room doesn’t work in the long run. It feels better at first, because of the “out of sight, out of mind” principle.  But they will always be there to haunt us.  Same with stinking-thinking and actions—pretending they’re not there, trying to ignore them, and/or hiding them doesn’t work.  Neither does wishing them away.  At some point we will have to face them, they will be exposed, and the magnified stench will chase others away!

• We only have so many dishes, before we run out. In relationships, we only have so much “capital” (good feelings about each other) before it runs out from mistreatment that isn’t dealt with.

The solution?  Acknowledge our “dirt”.  Keep short accounts—with the Lord, with others, with ourselves.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 Jn. 1:8-9

Wash our heart and relationship “dishes” while it’s still easier.