I went to a party at his house one Saturday night and saw that it had a bathroom with a shower and there was a bar of soap by the sink.
But when you ran into this guy at work, he just didn't seem very clean. His hair looked dirty, there was always something under his fingernails and you didn't really get a fresh scent in his vicinity.
I never heard one of our co-workers conclude..."See, soap and showers don't work. I'll never waste my time with any of that."
Instead, it was clear to us that he wasn't using them. Soap didn't fail him, he failed to use soap. So obvious.
But I have heard that same erroneous conclusion drawn over Bibles and Jesus.
"See, look at how she's living - selfish, mean, impatient - obviously being a Christian changes nothing."
The Bible didn't fail that person - they failed to live by it, with God's help, through Jesus. We're all covered in dirt (sin - the things that displease God). But through a transformational relationship with Jesus, there's a way to be renewed - cleansed, in God's eyes.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1John 1:9
And then, just like gunk disappearing from underneath fingernails, things like selfishness and unkindness start to melt away too. But you've got to be willing to apply some soap.
I still fall into the mud sometimes, but I know where to find a shower.
What do you believe?
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