One Dirty Sock

I am NOT a neat freak--ask my family, shoot, come over and see for yourself! I do, however, love the idea of using something over again. Recycling makes my heart happy. I'm excited that a pop can's life isn't over once it's empty--it can be cleaned up and fashioned into another new can or even something else!

I've always been this way--in case you were starting to think I should just take a pill for this or something. I remember when I was just about 7 years old I found one dirty sock out in the back yard. It had been left behind by a construction worker. I was thrilled. I thought about how gorgeous this sock was going to look when it was washed. I went inside and put the sock in the washing machine with an ample amount of soap and turned it on to wash all by itself. When my Mom came in later and discovered the washing machine going she asked me what was going on. I explained my wonderful story to her and she wisely didn't blow up at me. (Thanks, Mom.) She kept her cool and explained that next time I should save the dirty sock and put it in with other dirty clothes as well so that it didn't waste so much water.

I think God loves recycling too. He's a pro at giving things a second chance. Lots of the words we use for God start with the letters RE which mean "to do again"--REdeemer, REstorer, REbuilder, REconciler etc. There is a scene in the movie The Passion of the Christ when Jesus is carrying His cross to be crucified and is almost unrecognizable from the beatings He's suffered. On His journey He trips and falls and his mother, Mary, rushes to help him up. She is mortified by the way her Son looks and the way He is suffering. As she looks at him with concern and grief, Jesus says to her, "Behold, I make all things new."

The reality that Jesus went through such torture and death so that I could be made new leaves me absolutely undone. How can such love be grasped and understood? How can I ever say a big enough thank you for such a thing?

I think my childish act with the lone dirty sock shows a primitive understanding of how lavishly God loves. He sees the things that are dirty and worn, but He picks them up knowing that the wondrous work of His cleansing power can make them clean and useful again. Even if there's just one who is willing to take Him up on this offer--it's worth it to Him. It's not a waste!

Thank you, Jesus, for paying a huge price so that I can be made new.