I am quite fond of my vacuum.
My vacuum and I have spent many hours together, keeping the floors of my home clean (in fact, three different homes … my vacuum has been a faithful & reliable “moving buddy”).
I was recently vacuuming a room in which I knew the carpets were particularly dirty.
About halfway through, I noticed the dust-cup had hardly any vacuum-debris in it. What?!? That dust-cup should be just about full by now.
It slowly dawned on me that I should probably check the roller-bar … and also … the filters hadn’t been cleaned in ages. Sure enough, the roller-bar was wound so tightly with hair that I needed scissors to cut the hair loose. And the filters were so bad, hair had begun collecting in the filter.
No wonder the vacuum had not been very effective.
The hair wrapped around the roller-bar was creating tension, which if not dealt with, would eventually burn the motor out.
The filters were so full of dust that, if not dealt with, would eventually burn the motor out.
This is what happens in our Christian life. Just like the vacuum has been made with a specific task to do, so also God has made each one of us with a specific task and purpose. So … we head out each day to our places of work to do what God has called us to do.
And just like my vacuum has been faithful & reliable to do a good job, so also we try our hardest to do our best at the job God has given us.
The purpose of the vacuum is to pick up dust and debris, and deposit it in the dust-cup. However, in the process, some hair and even pieces of string inadvertently get wrapped around the roller-bar. It happens … it’s just part of it.
In the process, the filters become clogged with dust. It’s just part of it.
The vacuum needs regular care in order to function effectively. This requires me to pay attention to the “needs” of the vacuum itself.
This same thing happens in our Christian lives. We get so busy doing what God has called us to do at our places of work … and for sure, we are working hard and doing our best … but in the process, things inadvertently get wrapped around the “roller-bar” of our heart. These could be hurts, misunderstandings, miscommunication, stresses, etc. …
Additionally, as a Christian working in a world which does not know or love Jesus, there is a lot which we must “filter” throughout the course of each workday. We’re surrounded by ethics and values which are contrary to what the Bible teaches. We’re faced with “politically charged” situations … so many of which are not obviously “right” or “wrong” … but rather nuanced. What is the right course of action to take?? How should we respond?? What should we do?? We aren’t quite sure. We’re faced with complicated interpersonal dynamics. How do we respond??
There is a lot to filter!
After a while, our “filter” becomes clogged. It’s just part of it.
Just as my vacuum needs regular care in order to function effectively, so also our souls need regular “soul care” in order to function effectively. And this requires that we pay attention to the needs of our soul.
What has gotten “wrapped around the roller-bar” of our heart? What is creating tension in our soul, which if not dealt with, will eventually burn us out??
What “debris” is clogging up our “filters” which, if not dealt with, will burn our soul out??
God has created each one of us with a specific task and purpose. How is it going in your life? Are you functioning effectively, in the job where God has placed you, doing what God has called you to do? Or do you need to take some time to do some “soul care”?
