Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

Rags v Washcloths

All the washcloths in my bathroom are in the purple color palette. And when a washcloth becomes too worn, I’ll snip two sides of the binding and use it for a cleaning rag. This little procedure enables me to quickly distinguish the difference between rags and  washcloths when I fold and put away the laundry. One day I had multiple things on my mind and was simply operating by rote. I wasn‘t thinking about what I was doing, however, my goal was to take a shower. When I turned on the water, I noticed a washcloth draped over the inside handle of the shower door. I grabbed it, soaped it, and began my shower. After a few minutes, my brain started working and I thought, “This washcloth doesn’t feel normal.” I kept showering. After a few more minutes I examined the washcloth and realized it was a rag that I had  used to clean the toilet.

 

“We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind” (Isaiah 64:6 NLT). Human nature loves to compare itself with others less than God. We aren’t apt to compare ourselves to ordinary people, instead we will compare ourselves to others such as Al Capone, Jesse James, or Marilyn Manson. When we choose self-righteousness over God-righteousness, we find ourselves taking a shower with a filthy rag.

 

When we make the mistake of comparing ourselves to others, we decide we’re not all that bad. Human righteousness is a big fat joke when compared to the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. A dead animal on the highway stinks; and our own attempts to be righteous stinks in the nostrils of God. God makes His comparison against His own righteousness and that‘s when we find ourselves stripped and holding the short end of a filthy rag.

 

The last car show I attended had a 1959 Chevy Bel Air and I headed straight for it. I enjoyed visiting with the gentleman who owned the car. He offered to pop the hood so I could see the engine. You know, you can have a magnificently-restored vehicle in pristine condition, but without an engine it’s not nearly as impressive. Our heart is like the engine. It’s hidden, but oh so important. Jesus said, “…What fills the heart comes out of the mouth” (Matthew 12:34 CEB). When God speaks of the heart He’s referring to the very center of our being.

 

I’m thankful that I can trade my filthy rag of self-righteousness for a renewed heart. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 John 1:9-10 NKJV). John the Beloved reminds Christ followers that God remains faithful to forgive our sins (shortcomings, failures) when we miss the mark. We can’t fix ourselves, but we can sincerely ask for forgiveness and the blood of Jesus will do the cleaning.

     “Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ‘s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise” (Hebrews 10:22-23 NLT).

 

The Key: Never use a filthy rag of self-righteousness when God has a new clean  washcloth of His righteousness.