Worth a look...

It was later in the evening and we had been away for nearly three hours completing errands around town before returning home. As we walked through the front door I noticed nothing, but my wife immediately observed an important detail of interest. Our dryer upstairs was running…

As you might have expected, we found this strange. How could this be? The dryer will only go for about seventy minutes tops. Hmmm… Perhaps it is broken. Maybe we haven’t been gone as long as we thought. Or maybe there is someone in our home – you know, like a modern day Goldilocks and the Three Bears. “Look, someone did our laundry!”

Nevertheless, we had to investigate to know for certain. The kids were with friends on this particular night, so my wife and I slowly checked each room and every closet in our home. Admittedly, I thought the scenario was pretty weird but I was not that concerned. Brittany, however, was a bit more creeped-out (see picture below). As we continued through our home, the intensity increased as the possible hiding spots narrowed. I would lead into a room like Barney Fife pretending to be tough…with Edwardina Scissor-Hands following closely behind. My wife literally grabbed all major cutlery from the kitchen. Looking back, this probably wasn’t the best plan in the case that we had been startled or there had actually been an intruder. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

Anyway, we eventually realized that the coast was clear and diagnosed the only problem was that the dryer was in need of repair. Thinking back on it, we probably looked pretty silly tiptoeing through our home. We’ve laughed a lot as we remember our response to what could have been the nicest burglar on the planet – one who would quietly break-in and help us get caught up on laundry. The point is this, we noticed something wasn’t right and we couldn’t leave it alone. We had to make sure we were safe. We couldn’t ignore it.

As we start a new year, this would be my fun way of encouraging you to check things out. Evaluate your life. Take a deep look at your faith - your marriage, your parenting, your integrity at work, the pace of your schedule. If you notice something doesn’t seem right – perhaps something is out of place – something is unsettling. Well if so, then let's do the probing, investigation, and follow through necessary to make things right. Have the courage to check things out. Go give it a look, but don’t go alone. Scripture has much to say in regard to this type of examination of the inner man, but a few verses stick out to me.

Speaking wisdom to the young couple, Song of Solomon 2:15 reminds us to catch the foxes that might spoil important relationships. Hebrews 12:1 encourages us to lay aside anything that might hinder us from running the race we’ve been called to. These things are observed at some point, but when there is no deeper evaluation and no action taken, they tend to spoil, entangle, and disrupt. Many times we’re already distracted and such issues simply slip by unaware. May we grow closer to the One who knows all and is greater than all by seeking His help. May we pray as David toward the end of this famous psalm...

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.

See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

(Psalm 139:23-24)

Maybe we’ll tiptoe around the nooks and crannies of our heart and find that all is well. In that case, may the Lord continue to strengthen us as we proceed down the straight and narrow. But then again, we may find some laziness, doubt, hurt, or isolation. If so, may we have the courage to not ignore it but rather acknowledge it before the One that can do something about it. Whether He reveals something from our blind-spot or simply reminds us of challenges that we’re already aware of, this kind of introspection promises to be well worth a look.

matt@nbchurch.info     Twitter: @FattMowler     Facebook: TheFattMowler