SOILED

I have this one pair of white shorts that I love to wear. Mainly, in the summer and probably most inspired by the fact of all those years when I was too self conscious about being overweight to wear shorts.

So now that I don't have that problem any more I practically live in them during the summer. Just don't like giving them up when falls turned cold.

But because I love the white shorts, which is just one of my quirks, the one thing that happens to often is they attract all kinds of dirt and stains. I will get them fair dirtier than my other shorts.

Still, I wouldn't give them up. Have a different white pair, but just favor these most of all even with the mars.

So my standards for "clean" get adjusted according to whenever I try to wear them. Sometimes an extra long shirt helps.

Doesn't change the stains naturally. Nor make them go away. But helps to take away from attention to them.

Shoes and socks seem to help too. At least in my mind. They might not be a success with somebody else, but in my view it succeeds.

So I go through my little delusion and try not to dwell on how it really doesn't work. And that is a process of just not thinking about it.

And in many ways I think we treat sin that way. We see ourselves in some white garb of forgiveness.

One given by God and it never needs washing or cleaning in any way. It always stays spotless and perfect.

And no matter what happens we will still see it that way no matter how many times we sin or do something to soil its purity. God never said such a garment wouldn't need cleaning.

It is suppose to be a robe to help us appreciate our need for forgiveness. To help us keep us in focus on what is important.

So even the best of us needs our journey back to the pool of cleansing from time to time. To let the water of the Holy Spirit wash over us and heal and refresh.

That doesn't happen by accident or just lying about sins. It happens by acts of faith and truly surrendering unto the Lord.

Hard to do if you are too busy admiring your robe.