“Prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”—1 Peter 1:13
With family visits just around the bend, my husband insisted it was time to remove the protective layer of anti-sun-glare-agent from our windows…that is, the two-year accumulated buildup of dirt and grime since we had moved in. That’s a lot of sun-glare protection! It reminded me of a window-washing day I had back when my now 27-year old son was in kindergarten.
I had not planned on cleaning windows when I got out of bed that morning, but “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails,” Proverbs 19:21. I could not neglect them any longer after a short drive in my car. I couldn’t see out the rear view mirror because of a patchwork of fingerprints decorating our back window. Then on my way to retrieve paper towels and window cleaner I passed the front door window to our house, dotted with dozens of reminders that our cat’s nose was frequently pressed against it. Had to clean that up, too. Then there were the fingerprints on our kitchen windows, and cobwebs littering the screens….
I stopped my cleaning frenzy long enough to pick up my son from kindergarten and fix him lunch. Then he joined me. In fact, he said, “This is pretty fun, Mom, cleaning windows and listening to the radio.” Don’t get too excited; the honeymoon lasted barely 30 minutes before he dumped me for his superheroes. But, I had to admit he got me thinking about the buildup of dirt and grime on my own “windows” and how clouded my vision had become at the time, and now again over 20 years later.
You may have heard it said the eyes are the windows to one’s soul. Jesus clarifies things a bit further in Matthew 6:22-23, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light (like my just-cleaned windows). But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness (like the two-year dirt and grime buildup on my windows). If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Like the crushing feelings of despair I’d had lately.)
It is always a good time to stop and take stock of my peepers. Have they grown dim from grief (Psalm 88:9) following the weeks of disappointing setbacks to my plans? Did I have eyes but fail to see God’s hands at work (Mark 8:18)? Had I forgotten to fix my eyes not on what is seen (the setbacks and disappointments), but on what is unseen (Jesus Christ and the hope I have in Him), for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18)? And, if so, where was the window cleaner?
Fortunately I had to look no further than Psalm 119:18 and 119:37 for a clue, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law…turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your word.” It couldn’t be more simple…“Your law” and “Your word”. In other words, back to the basics…back to the Bible. I have not been as consistent lately in my time in the Word, and it was showing up in all kinds of ways. Easily frustrated and thrown off track. Discouraged. Self-condemning murmurings from morning to night. Apathy. Poor choices. No wonder my bright eyes had grown dim!
Focusing on “worthless things” will eventually overcome you and will build a grimy film on your soul that will keep you from seeing clearly. A dear friend once shared something that was inscribed in her Bible, “This Book will keep you from evil, and evil will keep you from this Book!” Great words of wisdom; great window cleaner. It was time to prepare my mind for action and start cleanin’!
The sun came streaming in through the windows in both our living room and my heart so brightly the next day all those years ago that I almost thought an extra lamp or two must have been left on. What a difference one day, a roll of paper towels and a great deal of window cleaner made! Naturally, the first thing our children did after noticing the windows that morning was…yes…touch the windows to ooh and aah over how clean they were.
We might have cleaned our windows this past weekend in anticipation of seeing our kids and grandkids soon, but I kinda hope my grandbabies leave a few handprints before they head back home. Seeing their handprints when I can’t see them sure brightens my day!
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe,” Ephesians 1:18
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