I figured this out last week just in time…

…before using a particular cooking pot on the stove that LOOKED clean.

But then I remembered– our dog, aka the “Canine Clean-up Crew”, had tongue-washed it after dinner for us. Then I had done the dishes.

But the question remained– had I washed that PARTICULAR POT that had been sitting on the stove?

So I asked myself– “What would it hurt to wash it again if it was already washed? Or, what would it hurt if I DON’T wash it now and it was only DOG-washed before?”

I washed it.

And learned– life is like that. Our heart and spirit are like that:

1. Sometimes we don’t know if we’ve sinned or not— if we’re not sure, start by checking it out with the Lord. We can pray—

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

In other words, let’s be quick to examine our hearts and let the Holy Spirit convict us, if necessary, of any unconfessed sin.

2. When He shows us any sin, don’t deny it or be afraid of what He’ll do to us now that we’ve been “found out”! Instead, trust and thank Him ahead of time for His forgiveness and cleansing power.

“If we confess our sins, He [the Lord] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 Jn. 1:9

One major characteristic of love is that “…it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Cor. 13:5

This means NO LISTS!  God, Who Himself is love (1 Jn. 4:16), doesn’t keep a running tab on our offenses, real or imagined.  Your dad might.  Your relatives might.  Your boss might.  Your former friends may have, which is why they’re no longer your friend.  But God doesn’t.

No lists with Him, because there’s never anything to add to.  Once we confess, receive forgiveness, and get cleansed, those sins have been permanently deleted… and will continue to be every time we “rinse and repeat”.

3. Don’t fear being “shelved”.  Once our dishes and cooking pans are clean, we don’t reject them or refuse to use them because they were dirty before.  So, why would the Lord, who cleans us perfectly, do that to us?

That would equal Him questioning His own power-washing ability! 

Can you imagine the Lord asking Himself, “Did I do a good enough job cleaning this person?  Maybe I’d better hold off using him/her anywhere until I can try again and be really sure they’re not going to poison someone!”

Thankfully He doesn’t think that of us because He knows He can trust Himself.

“…as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Ps. 103:12

Talk about effective stain-remover! 🙂

4. If we’re not sure whether we’ve hurt or sinned against someone else, go and ask them. If we have, apologize, and let the Lord “clean our slate” with that person. Then we can serve and give with a clean conscience, knowing we’ve done our part to bring about reconciliation.

“’Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.’”  Mat. 5:23-24

This is not “fear of man”.  This is not “caring too much about what other people think of us.”  Too often, people use that as an excuse to ignore others’ needs and feelings. 

The Lord doesn’t do that, so why should we?  In fact, He’s the one who told us—

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”  Phil. 2:3-4

Leaders— Anyone in any position of influence and/or authority—Take all of the above and multiply it in intensity and urgency by at least a hundred.  Because what you do both publicly and privately affects people and society that much more, with long-term ripple effects.

Think of how many less scandals and damage there would be if every leader had followed this protocol with the Lord and others. 

But it’s not too late for you, for me, for any of us.

Ultimately, it’s better to be sure our heart and spirit are clean and right before Him and others than to wonder…

Believe me, this isn’t just a bunch of “dog-wash”! 🙂