How Clean Is Clean?

Day 258 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series

You may not be able to tell by the picture, but the offerings in the Kroger checkout aisle are more than the common fare. You do have the 20 different kinds of gum, 30 different kinds of candy bars, Twizzlers and even Mike & Ikes. But, do you notice what is in the picture? Not normally considered an impulse item (to purchase anyway) is hand sanitizer.

Hand sanitizer has really gained in popularity over the past few years. I know there are industrial strength derivatives for hospitals and such, but I want to focus on the more common type, those that hang on the walls of restrooms by the door leading out. First, let me say that hand sanitizer IS NOT a replacement for washing your hands. This goes double for those in the food service industry. If you got some undesirable foreign object on your hands, it will still be there after you embed it while rubbing your hands together to "sanitize" your skin. Sanitizer is to kill viruses and germs, not remove dirt and other nasty particles from your hands.

Let me give an example: A child is playing outside and is told to come in for dinner. Said child has been making mud pies and has their hands are covered in mud. Would it be acceptable for you to squirt hand sanitizer on their hands, them whirl it around a little bit and expect their hands to be clean? Not at all. Their hands would just have alcohol laden mud on them then, they would not be clean. Same is true with everything else you might get on your hands. Sanitizer is to work in conjunction with hand washing, not instead of. But, then again, I see guys make a B line to the door without even glancing at the sinks to wash their hands. Maybe the hand sanitizer is there by the door so you can saturate a paper towel so you can hold it in your hand before opening the door when you leave. Personally I use a towel to open the door when it pulls inward and use my foot to kick it open if it pushes outward. Door knobs are the dirtiest place in a restroom and I avoid them at all costs.

Hand sanitizer is also like people that try to dress up their sins, cover them up even though they are putrid and covered in filth. I was like that for a long time, gave the appearance like I was a "good guy", but inwardly I was stinking. I would sanitize myself with saying a prayer every night as I went to bed, even after a night of drinking and partying. After all, I was good to go in my mind, I had said the prayer at 8 years old and took care of it, I was sealed and I wasn't going to hell. I would just not get as many rewards, but I'd still be in heaven when I died. How graceful God was when He awakened my spirit to the lie I had live for 30 years. At 38 years old I finally realized I was trusting in a lot of things for my salvation, but none of them were Jesus Christ. That is when He truly did a work in my life, in my soul and HE hasn't stopped. That is eternal security, knowing that God is in charge of sanctifying me and not my own actions. That is how you rest in Him, knowing that He is the Master, you the slave and that He takes care of all your needs. WOW! I am amazed as His grace even still.

I stopped sanitizing my outward appearance and God started really cleaning me up. He has sanctified me in many areas, some instantly and some through trials and tests. All have brought me closer to Him. He has shown Himself true and trustworthy and I continually show myself unworthy of His grace. I praise Him for saving me 5 years ago and I praise Him for saving me daily, each step of the way until I am at Home with Him.